How It Should've Been
by DarkSuspense
Summary: This is the story of how Harry's life could've turned out had a few key details been drastically different from the very start. A very different story indeed.
1. Prologue

_**Hello everyone, hope your doing alright. Hope your days going good. This is the beginning of my new story as voted for by you. Thank you for all of the support on my last story Changing My Life, hope you enjoy this one as well. Support is always appreciated. Also, this story was beta'd by , so I thank her as well. She had been a tremendous help with not just corrections but feedback on plot. This story certainly wouldn't be the same and that is what makes me confident in this story. Now without further ado, on with the story!**_

* * *

 _ **How It Should've Been**_

 _ **Prologue**_

 _1981_

A woman entered a pure white room, while somewhere else a man was entering a room that was exactly the same. In the middle of both rooms, there was a glass pedestal with an envelope on it. In both locations, the woman and the man both moved to the center of the room, approaching the pedestal.

Reaching it, they could see the envelope clearly. On the face of it _L &W_, was written in neat cursive. The man looked around the room for clues as to what it was, while the woman had a small frown on her face. At relatively the same time, they opened the envelope and pulled out its contents. It was a single piece of paper, with words written out in the same font as before.

 _Dear Alex,_

 _We know what you are. Incredibly rare, aren't you? Maybe one or two every five hundred years? And second to only the gods as well, sometimes even surpassing them. You've been in your fair share of fights and wars, but how about a magical war? With your nephew at the center? Everyone's playing the game this time around, not just the wizards and witches but the Masters of Elements as well. Let's see how you fare, because this is a game like no other. This Is L &W, now if your wondering what that is, I'll give you a hint. It's the end. You find that out, you're nearing the end. Good luck._

 _From L &W_

 _Remember, not all games have rules._

"What the hell?" The woman, Alex, mumbled.

Meanwhile, the man had began to read his letter as well.

 _Dear Hunter,_

 _We know what you are. Incredibly rare, aren't you? Maybe one or two every five hundred years? And second to only the gods as well, sometimes even surpassing them. You've been In your fair share of fights and wars, but how about a magical war? With your daughter in the frontline's? Everyone's playing the game this time around, not just the wizards and witches but the Masters of Elements as well. Let's see how you fare, because this is a game like no other. This Is L &W, now if your wondering what that is, I'll give you a hint. It's the end. You find that out, you're nearing the end. Good luck._

 _From L &W_

 _Remember, not all games have rules._

The man looked up from the letter before mumbling, "What the...?"

Neither the man nor the woman at known that another had received the same letter nor had they known that somebody else was in an identical room. How could they? The other was half-way around the world. They had almost identical letters, for something they had no idea what it was.

The woman pensively pocketed the letter before absently turning on her heel and leaving the room. While the man put the letter back in the envelope, tapping it thoughtfully on the pedestal before taking it and leaving the room. There wasn't much either could do except wait for the game to begin. Both of them with one thought on their mind as they left. _Who the hell was L &W?_

* * *

 _ **So since this is incredibly short, the prologue(this) has obviously gone up today and the first chapter will be going up this Wednesday. Aside from that, it will be a bi-weekly Wednesday upload unless informed otherwise. Hope you enjoy and that you stick around for the action. -DS**_


	2. How They Would've Wanted

_**Hello everyone, hope you're doing alright. Hope your days going good. As always, all your support is always appreciated. So, I'll keep this short, now without further ado, on with the story!**_

* * *

 _ **How It Should've Been**_

 _ **Chapter 1: How They Would've Wanted**_

 _November 1st, 1981_

"INNOCENT!" The judge yelled over the members and spectators in the Wizengamot. The courtroom was in chaos.

"ORDER IN THE COURT! SILENCE! I DEMAND SILENCE! NOW!" The judge slammed the gavel down several times in an attempt to restore order to the room. It took a while but eventually the members and spectators quieted at least enough to continue.

"In this session of Elite Court, I declare Sirius Orion Black, not guilty on counts of all charges. Sirius Orion Black will also be given full custody of a Harry James Potter, on authority of the will of James Charles Potter and Lily Evelyn Potter nee Evans and because the evident Godfather Oath and Acceptance! As revealed by use of Veritaserum in the trial of Sirius Orion Black, as an unregistered animagus, you must pay a fine of one thousand galleons and register within the next thirty days or face more severe actions. So, I pronounce it, Sirius Orion Black not guilty, so mote be it." The judge finished reading the verdict and banged the gavel.

Banging the gavel again the judge continued "Next case!" before banging it again.

Aurors moved over to the cleared man and removed the restraints from his hands and feet. Escorting him out of the Wizengamot chambers, as another set of Aurors brought the next accused in, they brought him to a certain Madam Bones office.

Madam Bones entered not long after with a certain infant in hand. As soon as she entered Sirius sprang up and practically ran over to her. Holding the baby out for him, Sirius took his godson into his arms and held him tight.

"Thank you, Amy, thank you." As he was talking, he leaned forward and finished the sentence with a soft kiss. Moving back, he looked back down and smiled at his godson, rocking the sleeping one year old.

Looking at his godson, he made his decision. Looking back up at Amelia he began "Amy, I know how chaotic things are going to be here and I know that you love your job and you have a life and family here. But I have to do this or I'll regret it. So that's why I'm only going to ask this once, please come with me, leave Britain with me." He pleaded, he knew what the answer was going to be but he couldn't leave without at least trying.

"Sirius, you know I love you and would do almost anything for you. But this is one of the few things that I can't do. I'm sorry but I can't. I can't leave them at a time like this." Finishing her apology with tears in her eyes, she leaned forward and gave him a final kiss before leaving the office. Even though it was technically her office that she was leaving and she still had work to do. The kiss wasn't a see you tomorrow kiss but it wasn't a goodbye one either. More like a see you later kiss. Because they both knew that one day he would be back, even if it meant waiting a few years.

Taking one last look at the door, he apparated, leaving the office empty.

He reappeared in his home, a flat in central London. With his godson still in his arms, he made his way over to his bedroom. Sitting his godson on the bed, Sirius went over to the closet and pulled out a duffel bag and a sling bag. He then went over to the night stand and opened the side panel, pulling out a safe. Unlocking it, he reached in and pulled out passports, a Gringotts card and other forms of identification. Pulling out his wand he tapped the passport and the card causing the surface to shimmer and the names to change. Changeable cards and identification were allowed to all Aurors and Unspeakables.

Then going back over to the closet he began throwing a few days' worth of clothes in the duffel and some other necessities, he went around the rest of the flat checking that he got anything of value that he needed now rather than later when he had house elves come get the rest. Going back into the bedroom and retrieving the sleeping boy from the bed, he disapparated from the flat with a slight pop.

Sirius appeared about half a mile from Heathrow Airport. Walking towards the airport, he didn't get very far before he heard another pop behind him.

Stopping but not turning, he waited for the person to speak.

"Sirius, are you really going to leave Britain? Do you really want Harry growing up in some far away country, when he should be growing up here? It's best for him to be here." Dumbledore tried.

Sirius turned to face Dumbledore and replied "Yeah we're leaving. And to tell you the truth, Harry would be way better off growing up anywhere but here." Sirius was not backing down on this. He and Harry were leaving, nothing was changing his mind.

"Sirius, you're taking Harry from where he really belongs. James and Lily would want him in Britain with family. Away from this world." With every sentence that Dumbledore said, he sounded crazier and crazier.

"Okay, listen here Dumbledore. I am Harry's rightful guardian, I am his family and I know for a fact that his parents, my best friends, would want him out of Britain and in the magic world." Sirius growled.

"Very well Sirius, if you believe that is what's best for the boy. Take good care of him Sirius." Dumbledore turned and apparated away.

"What the hell?" Sirius mumbled looking all around to make sure it wasn't a trick. It seemed too easy. Seeing no one, he took out his wand and checked for any spells on himself and Harry. Coming up with a tracking charm on each of them, he shook his head in disbelief before he removed them. Then turning and making it the rest of the way to the airport with his godson in his arms and his bag over his shoulder.

Walking into the airport, Sirius went over to the nearest counter with a person behind it and asked, "When's the soonest flight to New Zealand?" The woman at the counter looked down at her computer and typed.

"The soonest flight to New Zealand is in thirty-five minutes sir. Would you like tickets?" She paused and once he nodded, she began typing again. "Name for you and your son."

"Bradley and Jay Knight."

"Right sir and I'll need to check your passports." She held her hand over the counter.

"Of course." He replied. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled them out and handed them to the woman. She opened the passports up and looked at them, before scanning them and handing them back.

"A form of payment Mister Knight." After putting the passports away, he grabbed his card out and handed it to her. She swiped it and handed it back, before moving over and grabbing the papers from a printer. She handed them over.

"Have a good flight Mister Knight." Walking towards the terminal, Sirius made his way through security before getting onto the plane with nearly ten minutes to spare. Finding his seat, he put his duffel up in the compartment and his sling under the seat before sitting down with Harry on his lap.

"Hello everyone, this is the pilot. We'll be taking off very shortly so buckle your seat belts and sit back and relax. Enjoy the flight."

* * *

 _Several Hours Later_

"Good morning everyone, this is your pilot speaking. Please buckle your seat belts as we'll be landing in about twenty minutes. Thank you." Hearing the pilot, Sirius buckled his seat belt along with everybody else on the plane before doing his godson's.

 _Twenty-Five Minutes Later_

The plane had landed and Sirius unbuckled his belt and stood along with all the other people and grabbed his duffel from the compartment above his seat before returning to his seat and grabbing his sling bag and a sleeping Harry. Following the crowds of people, they exited the plane and made their way to an airport bathroom. Once in the bathroom, Sirius looked around before apparating away.

They reappeared outside the gates of the Potter Vacation home in New Zealand. The gates had a griffin stature on each pillar from each side of the gate. Walking over to one of the pillars, Sirius removed his wand from the inside coat pocket. He shifted the wand before pushing it flat against the middle of the pillar.

As soon as the wand was laid flat, a shimmer went up and down the entire pillar as if scanning the wand. The shimmer stopped at the middle point of the wand before the entire pillar just glowed and the glow spread over the gate and the pillar before the griffins roared and the gates opened and the shimmer died down once the gate was open.

Entering the gates, when he walked in between and past the pillars a glow pasted over him and Harry in his arms. Continuing walking, he heard the gates close behind him and the griffins releasing another roar.

Walking through the grounds, he eventually ended up at the front door. The doors had no doorknobs. Placing his hand flat against one of the door, the doors glowed and opened to him. Crossing the threshold, Sirius looked around. The house was the same as the last time he was here. Even though no one had been here in quite some time, the foyer was still in pristine condition.

Hearing a clearing of a throat from his left, Sirius turned and faced the noise. There were two house elves, dressed in uniforms with the Potter crest one them standing there.

"Mister Doggy." The elves chorused and bowed.

"Jonny, Sammy, long time no see." Sirius greeted with a smile.

"Master Harry." The other elf, Jonny, greeted the now awake one year old.

"Lily and James have recently passed, and I decided it would be best to get Harry out of Britain for a fresh start. But first, do you think you could do a full medical checkup of him? Nobody knows exactly what happened in that house that night."

"Of course, Doggy." Jonny answered and prompted for him to hand him Harry. Handing over Harry, Jonny disappeared.

"I'm sure you remember the way to your old room sir?" Sammy questioned. Nodding in response, Sirius shouldered his duffel and made his way up the stairs and through the house until he reached the room James had always said would be his whenever he needed it. Pausing outside the door, he turned his head to the left and stared sadly at the door at the end of the hall.

Sighing, Sirius shook his head and entered the room. Leaving the door open behind him, he looked around taking in the room. Just like the rest of the house, it was exactly the same. Except for one thing. There were two plain white envelopes on his bed.

Frowning, he checked around the room before dropping his duffel beside the closest and setting his sling bag in the desk chair in one corner of the room. Turning back to the bed, he made his way back to it.

Reaching down, Sirius slowly picked up one of the letter envelopes. There was no writing on it. Still slightly cautious, he flipped it over and pulled out the contents. Unfolding the first tri-folded paper, Sirius's eyes jumped to the top.

 _Hey pal,_

 _If you're reading this, that means we are dead. Which you probably already know since you're already in the New Zealand vacation house._

 _Yes, I knew you'd take Harry here, it was always your favorite and one of our few houses Dumbledore doesn't know about. Nonetheless buddy, Harry is now in all but blood your son. So, treat him as such, and I mean teach him exactly what I would've. Not just magic, but the really important things in life like girls, pranks and jokes and most importantly how to take action. That's what we should've done._

 _Dumbledore was the one who insisted we go into hiding, and me being me followed blindly. Lily never fully trusted Dumbledore, especially when he told us that the prophecy was 'leaked' she was suspicious. If I believed her maybe we wouldn't be in this mess, but it's too late for regrets. Just make sure I don't leave any behind, yeah?_

 _The other paper enclosed in this envelop is a copy of our will, just to ensure nobody does anything sneaky, sneaky, if you know what I mean._

 _As always, I swear I am up to no good and remember I will always achieve mischief managed. I hope you do too buddy. Love ya buddy. Be happy._

 _Until someday,_

 _Prongs_

 _James_

Taking a deep breath, Sirius sat heavily on the end of the bed. Setting down James last letter, Sirius pulled the other paper out of the first envelop. As James had said, it was a will. Unfolding it, Sirius just flipped through not really looking for anything specific. He continued to read through the will until his eyes stopped on something.

 _Last will and testament of Lord James Potter and Lady Lily Potter nee Evans. If Lily survives, all titles, money, property and holdings go to her and then Harry when he reaches his majority and same for if only James survives. If nether one of us survived but our son Harry did, he is to inherit everything, absolutely everything other than the listed contributions. Also, our secret keeper was in fact Peter Pettigrew, not Sirius Black._

 _To Remus Lupin, we leave 15,000 galleons. Buy yourself something nice buddy._

 _To Amelia Bones, we leave 10,000 galleons and my best friend. Thank you for taking good care of Padfoot. Keep him out of trouble._

 _To Sirius Black, we leave full custody of our pride and joy, we also leave all of our property, money and holdings in your hands as regent for House Potter until Harry is old enough, including our paintings. The son we wish we could've seen grow up, Harry Potter. Take care of him Sirius, oh and don't let Amy go, you need her more than you realize._

 _To A.E, Lily leaves her personal affects to you. And take care of them both please._

 _To Minerva McGonagall, we leave 5,000 galleons and James transfiguration creations. Take care old friend. You were a great mentor to us and we hope you can be to Harry as well._

 _To Harry Potter, son, we leave everything to you. And we know it'll never be enough because it will never be enough for us either. We love you and please keep the two of them from killing each other._

 _Order Of Custody for Harry James Potter_

 _Sirius Black_

 _Amelia Bones_

 _Alice Longbottom_

 _Minerva McGonagall_

 _UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES IS HARRY TO GO TO PETUNIA AND VERNON DURSLEY, I WILL PERSONALLY COME BACK FROM THE GRAVE TO END YOUR EXISTENCE IF HE SO MUCH AS ENTERS THAT HOUSE_

 _Signed By Lord James Potter & Lady Lily Potter_

 _Witnessed By: Alice Longbottom & Amelia Bones._

Something about the will specifically saying paintings drew a flag in Sirius's head. That had to mean more than just artwork paintings. It had to.

Deciding to come back to it later, Sirius set down the will next to James letter and picked up the other envelop. Pulling out the contents, two things fell out of the envelop and landed on the ground. Eyebrow raised, Sirius bent down and picked up the fallen objects.

Turning back to the paper, he began reading the first sheet.

 _Hello Sirius,_

 _As I know James already told you most of what you need to know, this is about something else. Well not really something else, more like somebody else. I'm sorry you didn't know this, James is the only one that did._

 _I don't want to say much in this letter but I can tell you more when you speak to 'me' next. I'll explain the objects then and more._

 _Keep both objects safe but more importantly keep my son safe. I swear to Merlin if something happens to him Sirius then I will come back just to punish your arse._

 _Don't test my word,_

 _Lily_

Sirius smirked at reading the ending. She had to get a threat in there somewhere. "Speak next, huh? Guess that confirms it, there is a painting." Sirius mumbled. He put the letter back as well as the objects. Just he was closing the envelops, Jonny popped in.

"Sir, we must be speaking about Master Harry's health. Come." Jonny extended his hand and waited until Sirius took it before disappearing.

They reappeared in a child's nursery. Jonny led Sirius over to a crib where two house elves were working.

"Master Harry, has a dark magic in him. A horcrux. Behind scar." Jonny informed him. At his words, Sirius went pale. He knew what a horcrux was, and it was not good.

"Can you remove it? Without harming him?" Sirius questioned quietly looking at his godson.

"With house elf magic, yes. We be doing that now?" One of the other house elves inquired.

Nodding, Sirius looked at his godson. "Please." He beckoned. Jonny looked to the other elves and nodded. They snapped their fingers and they along with Harry disappeared.

"Where did they take him? How long will it take?" Sirius questioned.

"To a protected room. Less than hour." Jonny assured him.

* * *

 _In Protected Room somewhere in Potter Vacation Home_

Harry was laying asleep on a matt in the middle of a circular room. There were Potter house elves all around the room at the edges, about sixteen of them. Then another ring of four of them around the cot.

All of the elves in the ring at the edges held both arms up and fingers in the snapping ready position. The four elves in the inner ring, held one arm up, fingers in the snapping ready position with their other hand touching either an arm or a leg of Harry's.

One of the house elves in the outer ring, snapped both fingers at the same time. Then the elf to its right followed and it continued the same way around the outer ring until it reached back where it started. As they snapped, thin, shimmery beams of light rose from their snapped fingers and all connected at the center of the room several feet above Harry.

Then the elves in the inner ring, snapped their fingers all at the same time and similar beams of light rose above and joined in the center a little under the sphere of magic from the outer ring. Then the sphere from the inner ring, sped down and crashed into Harry's scar, followed shortly by the other sphere. On impact, it created huge magical backlash, causing ring of magic to extend to the edges of the room as a dark essence rose out of the one year olds scar.

The essence flew around the room looking for an exit but slammed into a band of magic and dissipated. The magic than flowed back to the center in waves of magic and into the sleeping Harry.

Randomly, the elves started popping out of the room, returning to their duties at other Potter houses. Of the twenty house elves that were there, only five of them worked and lived at the Potter home in New Zealand along with Jonny and Sammy.

Eventually it was down to just the two elves that had taken Harry there in the first place. Taking Harry, the two elves disappeared.

Reappearing back in the nursery, the elves set Harry back down in the crib before popping away. Jonny and Sirius then entered the room and moved over to Harry.

"According to Spinky and Socky, everything be fine now. Horcrux and scar gone and Master healthy." Jonny assured Sirius who had now picked up his godson.

"Jonny, how did you know what a horcrux was?" Sirius asked curiously.

"As you know, I has been in Potter family for a long while, my father and mother were in Black care though. They were able to teach me much in terms of things to beware."

"Of course. Jonny, can you get to the Potter Cottage in Godrics Hallow?" Sirius questioned.

"You need to be there?"

"No, I need something from there." Sirius corrected. "A painting, a painting of Lily and James to be exact." The elf nodded before disappearing.

The elf appeared seconds later with a very damaged painting. Seeing it, Sirius frowned. Jonny hung it on a spot on the wall in front of him. It was clear it was once a painting of Lily and James but definitely didn't work anymore.

"Bloody hell." Sirius muttered. "Do you think it can be repaired?" Sirius continued questioning the elf.

The elf disappeared in response and reappeared seconds later with another house elf. He had a different look to him, he still had a Potter uniform but something was different. He was definitely one Sirius had never met before.

"Guten Abend, ich bin Jacks, Jonny sagt du brauchst etwas? Herr Doggy?" The elf greeted in a language that was not English.

Recognizing it as German, luckily a language he was fluent in, Sirius replied. "Jacks, bist du vom der Potter nach Hause in Deutschland?"

"Ja Herr Doggy." The elf nodded.

"Kannst du ein magisches Gemälde reparieren?" Sirius questioned. Jacks nodded, and Sirius continued, "Kannst du das machen?" Sirius asked him before pointing to the painting on the wall behind the German house elf.

The house elf turned and sized up the painting before turning back to Sirius and answering. "Ja, Herr Doggy." He nodded.

Jacks then moved in front of the painting and placed a hand on it. The other hand he held up, closed his eyes and snapped. It was slow working but the undamaged parts of the painting glowed and slowly but surely the glow spread of the painting fixing it bit by bit until the painting was as good as new except from the top left corner, it was still damaged.

Pulling away from the painting, the elf spoke, "So gut ich kann." He elf said sadly.

"Es ist perfekt, danke." Sirius assured him that it was fine.

"Sehr gut, guten Nacht." The elf said before disappearing. Sirius then removed his wand from his coat pocket and cast a spell over the painting. The spell was designed to reanimate previously animated paintings. It caused the magic in it to work again.

The painting glowed for a few seconds before Lily and James started to move, showing that it had worked.

"Hey James, Lily. How's the weather?"

* * *

 ** _There we have it, the first official chapter of this story down. I'm actually quite happy with how it turned out. Also, the German used is mostly from Google Translate though some of it was from my knowledge of the language. I'm not super fluent but I do know some basics. I wanted to put in another language other than English at some point I just wasn't sure how I wanted to do it. Expect to see some more later on, maybe others. Anyway, the translations will be listed down below. Support is always appreciated, thank you. Hope you all enjoy this story. -DS_**

 **German Translations**

 _Guten Abend, ich bin Jacks, Jonny sagt du brauchst etwas? Herr Doggy? – Good evening, I'm Jacks, Jonny says you need something? Mister Doggy?_

 _Jacks, bist du vom der Potter nach Hause in Deutschland? – Jacks, are you from the Potter House in Germany?_

 _Kannst du ein magisches Gemälde reparieren? – Can you repair a magical painting?_

 _Kannst du das machen? – Can you do that?_

 _Ja, Herr Doggy. – Yes, Mister Doggy_

 _So gut ich kann. – As best I can_

 _Es ist perfekt, danke. – It's perfect, thank you_

 _Sehr gut, guten Nacht. – Very well, good night_


	3. Family Reveals & A History Lesson

_**Hey everyone, hope your day's going good and you're doing alright. I want to take a second and thank you all for the support! Okay, I think it's been a second. So now without further ado, on with the story!**_

 _Flashbacks_

* * *

 _ **How It Should've Been**_

 _ **Chapter 2: Family Reveals & A History Lesson**_

 _October 31st_

 _"I propose that he be convicted and thrown in Azkaban for life." Dumbledore stated to the adjoined Wizengamot._

 _"Without a trial?" Amelia interjected from her position._

 _"Well he did give up the Potters which resulted in their deaths. He also worked with Voldemort. He was their secret keeper, only he could've done it. So, it's obvious he's guilty, also remember where he was found." Dumbledore pointed out._

 _"It doesn't matter where he was found or if he was a secret keeper because without hard evidence, as he wasn't found with a Dark Mark, it's just your word, which need I remind you is circumstantial." Amelia refuted. The rest of the remaining Wizengamot just watched the two go back and forth._

 _"I hardly think my word is circumstantial." Dumbledore corrected her._

 _"Listen, it doesn't matter who you are. You could be bloody Merlin for all I care, but your word is not law. It can be used as evidence but it can't be 'all' of the evidence. Not matter what, unless you have solid proof, it is circumstantial." Amelia remarked causing Dumbledore to sigh._

 _"Amelia, Amelia, Amelia. I hardly think you're an impartial governing law here. As need I remind you, isn't he your significant other_ _?" Dumbledore questioned, making sure to put emphasis on 'I'._

 _"I'm capable of being professional and making professional decisions no matter who it is." She informed him. "I say we take it to a vote, as he is Lord Black. All for a trial?" She addressed the rest of the Wizengamot. Over half of the remaining boards wands glowed. "All in favor of conviction?" Less than half of the wands in the room glowed. Even without counting the votes for each person, both could see that the vote was in favor of a trial._

 _Seeing nothing he could do, Dumbledore nodded. "Send him to Elite Court. He will be tried. But until then, Harry Potter will be placed in Lily Potter's sister's family, the Dursleys."_

 _"I hardly think so. If you remember correctly, they stated directly in their will that he was not to go there. Now I don't care what you say, you cannot override their will." Amelia held her ground. Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by Amelia, "It doesn't matter how close you were with them, they wrote their will and it will be stuck to." She left him no chance to slide something by._

 _Nodding, Dumbledore spoke. "Very well, Harry Potter will be placed in Samantha and Thomas Bones custody until more is decided." Dumbledore ordered. "Next order of business to be presented in this session of emergency Wizengamot." He prompted._

"So that's how close Dumbledore got to overriding everything." Sirius retold the portrait the story of events that Amelia had told him earlier.

"That old goat! How dare he?!" Lily raged.

"We trusted him." James said hollowly.

"I know, but we have Harry now. But it just seemed too simple. When he approached me outside the airport, he just let me go."

"He could've known he can't do anything right now." James suggested while Lily sighed.

"When was the last time this portrait was updated?" Sirius cut in.

"We died on the 31st so it was updated on the 30th. We did it every other day." James answered.

"So, what's this you wanted to tell me about that you mentioned in your letter?" Sirius directed at Lily.

"Right so, the ring. It's an all-black ring, it goes on the middle finger and it will readjust to fit you. When Harry turns thirteen, that's when you give it to him but until then, you wear it. The ring was something I wore. My sister wears an identical one and it's how we stay in touch. Now the b-." Lily continued but was cut off.

"I'm sorry, your sister?! The one you specifically said for Harry to not go to?!" Sirius exclaimed, interrupting her.

"No Sirius, she hates magic. I have another sister, a younger one. She's three years younger actually." She informed him. This news sent Sirius spiraling, he was shocked.

"Sorry buddy. Not many people knew." James interjected when he saw Sirius's look.

"Her names Alexandra Evans, though she goes by Alex. She's a pain in the arse and not always around. She lives in America, I believe New York to be more exact. We were always closer than Petunia and I were." Lily continued.

"Does she know?" Sirius questioned, trying to process everything.

"About magic? Yes. Alex knows about magic, Hogwarts, everything. And I know about her world as well." Lily answered.

"Her world?" Sirius asked cautiously.

"Her world. You see, my family turned out to have more than just a witch in it. Alex is special as well. Though Petunia is normal. Maybe that's why Alex and I were closest. Either way, do you know anything about Greek and Roman mythology?" She inquired.

"Very little."

"Then I'll let her explain it to you when you meet her. Now the bracelet, this you'll give to Harry if Alex tells you to. We aren't sure at this time if he needs it. Now, how the ring works is like so." She gestured, raising her hand to reveal that she had a ring almost exactly like the one he was holding on.

"So, it looks like a single band ring with an electric blue emblem etched into it that is until you tap a wand against it. Normally it only works with my wand but the ring you're holding has a few alterations to it. Though once it is placed on Harry's finger, it will belong to him and respond to only him." She paused, and at his nod she continued. She picked up her wand in the portrait and tapped the ring and suddenly the ring, while still one ring it was split into thirds and the bands were now spindles. "Now there is a part of an emblem on each of the bands. You have to spin them to match them up until the marking is whole." She did it as she explained and when it was correct, the ring connected again to become a single band. "Now normally when it's whole, it'll form back into one ring with the emblem etched on it and that's the how it contacts Alex but since I'm not alive it won't actually work." She finished.

"Why did so few people know about her?" Sirius asked.

"Because while we have our secret world, she's a part of her's, and we decided to keep it that way unless absolutely necessary and then only to you or Remus." Lily answered.

"So, when should I do this to talk to her?" Sirius asked, while putting the ring on his right middle finger.

"I would say as soon as possible. She more than likely doesn't know of our deaths yet. And getting her here while the portrait still works is important." James answered.

"What do you mean 'still works'?" Sirius frowned.

"From what you said the portrait was damaged and you had to use a reanimation spell on it. They only last so long and can only be a number of times. So, it would be good to save at least one time for Harry when he's older if he ever needs to speak to us or just really wants to. Just in case." James told him.

Sirius nodded before taking out his wand and tapping it on the ring. Just like with Lily's an outer band formed that was split into three. Spinning the bands into place, the blue emblem glowed and the outer band dissolved back into the ring and it was back to being just a black ring with an electric blue emblem etched into it. Nothing happened.

"Why didn't something happen?" Sirius asked looking up back at her portrait.

"Just wait for it." Lily assured him.

Minutes passed and Sirius resumed conversation with the two while waiting. About five minutes later, a column of fire and electricity drew their attention from the conversation. Turning to the left, fire evaporated is wisps and they could all see the person. Then the electricity also faded away. The person was dressed in a white to black gradient shirt with grey slim jeans and a pair of navy and white Nike's, along with a navy blue slim fitting racer leather jacket. The woman was looking straight at him as if observing him before her eyes flickered to his left, where the painting was on the wall. Sirius had felt like he had been under a stare similar to Lily's. The woman's eyes were the exact same color and shade as Lily's, a bright emerald green though her hair was more of a dirty blonde shade and was medium length and in a ponytail. She looked about 5'7 or 5'8. Her eyes narrowed for a second before she made her way forward to stand in front of the painting.

"What happened?" The woman, who Sirius assumed was Alex, demanded. Sirius could tell she had an American accent with just the smallest hint of British.

"Alex, we knew it may happen. Voldemort came after us. Harry was the only survivor." Lily answered looking her sister.

"When?" Alex demanded taking a deep breathe.

"Last night." Sirius answered for her. Alex nodded.

"I see you have the ring." She directed at Sirius before continuing, "I presume you gave it to him?" Alex directed this time to Lily.

"Yes, to hold on to until Harry is thirteen." Lily told her.

"You called me just to tell me or no?" She asked, looking between Sirius and the portrait.

"Um."

"I had him call you because yes you needed to know but I also wanted you to explain everything to him. What happens from there is on you two. The portrait is failing. Remember Sirius, limited amount of times. Alex, it was good to see you again, love you." Lily and James bid a quick goodbye before they became inanimate again.

Sighing, Alex turned to face Sirius. "How much did she tell you?" She inquired.

"Not much. Said you could explain it better." He explained, looking over trying to find the smallest bit of information he could find out about her.

"Right. Okay, is this the study?" She gestured to the room they were in. Sirius nodded. Walking over to an empty wall, Alex stood in front of it. "So, everything and I mean everything, your world, mine. All of it goes back to Roman and a Greek mythology, maybe sometimes Egyptian. Anyway, Chaos is said to be the creator of the universe. Chaos had a brother and sister, Order and Void. Now Order was said to have created the planets, while Chaos created the life. Void created the void. Now Chaos and Order fought when Order believed he wasn't respected and worshipped enough. They made a deal, whoever won in this fight to the death, would be the one that everyone worshiped. Chaos was winning but she couldn't kill her brother, she didn't want to. So, she banished him to the void. With me so far? I'm just giving a condensed version." Alex explained while drawing a family tree on the wall in a trial of ice that Sirius decided not to question for the time being.

"Continue."

"So, then Chaos decided to have children. Well create children. So, she created the primordials. Two of the primordials, Gaia and Uranus gave birth to the Titans. Now then two of the Titans, Cronus and Rhea gave birth to Zeus, Hades, Poseidon, Hera, Hestia and Demeter. Now war waged between the Primordials and the new gods, the children of the titans. So, while Chaos couldn't help directly, she decided to have four more children. These children were given specific powers, the elementals. They could control any element. Each was said to have their own special element that they excelled at as well. They were called Masters of Elements. Now they joined the war, the gods side. The gods won the war, and over threw the primordials and the titans. They became the ruling gods. Got it?" Alex paused.

"Okay but what the hell does this have to do with anything?" Sirius asked confused.

"Just shut up and listen, so the gods had children. Zeus and Hera married and Zeus became the ruler of Olympus. The gods of Olympus ar-." Alex started but was cut off.

"I'm sorry did you say Zeus and Hera married?" Sirius interrupted.

"Yes." She put simply already knowing where this was going.

"But they were brother and sister." He exclaimed.

"Well aware, anyway the gods of Olympus as of now are Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Ares, Artemis, Apollo, Hermes, Hestia, Aphrodite, Athena, Demeter, and Hephaestus. Now there are other gods but this is the counsel. Now almost all of the Olympians have children, actually all but Hestia and Artemis, they are maiden goddesses. Now if they have a child with a mortal, then it is known as a Demi-god. Nobody knows the exact number of them out there."

"Is that what you are?" Sirius inquired.

"No, I'm not a Demi-god. I'm a descendant… of Chaos." Sirius's eyebrows shot up. "I myself am a Master of Elements. I found out when I was eight. I've learned to control and use my powers these past years and for the past seven years, I've been to bend elements to my will. We are second to only the gods and sometimes we can surpass some of their powers. Now we're extremely rare, said to be maybe one or two every five hundred years because the gene skips through so many bloodlines. It vanishes and reappears. Though if you have a Master in the family, it's possible another member is a partial. Because we're so rare, when we turn twenty-one, we're given partial immortality from the gods. So, we're immortal unless killed in battle."

"You said earlier that aside from the elements, masters have another power that's unique to them. Also, what does this have to do with the wizard world?"

"Yes, we are said to have a special ability, mine is time. I can't go back in time or go forward but I can stop it, slow it down and view parts of it. As for its connection to the wizard world, well Hecate is the Greek goddess of magic. Long ago, she blessed a group of four, two men and two women. They became the first witches and wizards. So, it's evolved from there." She answered.

"Wow, that's a lot to take in. That's why Lily said you'd decide whether or not to give Harry that bracelet. Because you don't know yet if he needs it." Sirius realized.

"Correct."

"Now what? Other than a history lesson, Lily had to have a reason for wanting you to be here, to meet me." Sirius wondered.

"She always told me that while I wouldn't be on their will, she would want me to help whoever took care of Harry. She said she still wanted me in his life. So, my guess, she wanted me here to help." Alex deduced.

"And will you?" He asked curious.

"I can't be here all of the time, but I can be around to help. I would like to have some part in my nephew's life." She answered honestly. The two were far from friends but they were on their way. There were still many unanswered questions, that needed to be answered but they would be, eventually.

You can learn a lot about a person from how they talk, how they move, what they say… and the whole time they were in that study, they were both deciding whether to trust the other or not. Just how much they information would share with the other. They definitely didn't trust the other now but they would have to eventually, especially if they had to work together.

* * *

 ** _So, a lot of the mythology is a version of the stories, but parts of it I added or created. The whole Masters of Elements stuff is my own creation. Alex is also the only other thing I own besides the plot. Thanks for the support. Hope you enjoyed and Happy reading! -DS_**

 ** _I will not normally upload every week. It's bi-weekly, but I really wanted to kick this off to a good start so expect a chapter not next Wednesday but the Wednesday after. The upload date will be on my profile._**


	4. Back Home

_**Hey, what's up everyone. This chapter is definitely not picking up where the last one left off. I hope you've enjoyed the story thus far. Thank you the support and now without further ado, on with the story!**_

* * *

 _ **How It Should've Been**_

 _ **Chapter 3: Back Home**_

 _15 Years Later (August 1996)_

"Remind me why we're back in Britain again?" Alex questioned as they walked through the airport.

"Remind me why you took a plane again?" Sirius snapped.

"Enough you two! I don't care that you fought, you've been at each other's throats for days! That's enough, it's dumb to begin with." Harry blurted out finally having enough of having to hear them fight every time they within five feet of the other. He had been stuck in the middle during the flight and was stuck in the middle now.

"You don't even know what we're fighting about!" Sirius stammered from Harry's left.

"Seriously? How the hell would I not know what you're arguing about? You've been practically screaming at each other for days not to mention the fact that you also almost destroyed the house! I'm sure half the plane knew what you were arguing about." Harry retorted dryly.

"We're not that bad!" Alex protested. Harry stopped causing the other two to stop and look at him.

"Honestly, Dad you're what 37? And Alex, you're...? Actually, how old are you?" Harry stopped what he was saying to ask.

"Um." Alex paused trying to think about it.

"Wow, you don't even know your own age." Sirius remarked. Alex sent him a glare.

"I lost track considering the fact that I've been immortal since 21. It didn't seem important." She justified.

"33!" Harry interrupted figuring it out. "Anyway, you're both in your thirties so can you please not act like your three." He finished before walking towards baggage claim, leaving the two standing there looking after him.

"He's right." Sirius said suddenly.

"Seems like he always is." She commented. They turned to look at the other.

"Truce?" Sirius offered, extending his hand.

"You better be planning to pay for my new motorcycle since you set the other one on fire." Alex warned.

"And you better plan to redo my bathroom since you completely flooded and electrified it." Sirius countered.

"Deal."

"Deal." The two shook on it and went over to baggage claim where Harry was waiting for his bag.

"To answer your question Alex. We're back because of Dumbledore and his insane law." Harry told her once they approached.

"What is it exactly again?" She questioned while Sirius moved over to a different belt to get his bag.

"Well, the law is that any Lord or Lady in the ruling Wizengamot has to be in Britain for the Summer Wizengamot to retain their titles. It's idiotic and is just an attempt to throw Dad out of his rightful power."

"Remember his reaction when he got the owl?" Alex recalled.

 _A Month Earlier_

 _Sirius was in the main office when a Gringotts bird from the Britain branch landed on the sill. Alex and Harry were in the training room, practicing. They were sparring with dual Dao swords, exchanging strike for strike. Alex defended a strike and retaliated when the shout rang threw the house._

 _"WHAT THE F*CK?!" Sirius's shouted, clearly angry. His shout caused the two to glance at each other before dropping the swords and sprinting out of the room, and up the stairs to Sirius's study. Taking the steps two at a time, they made short work of the distance and entered the office barely thirty seconds later._

 _"What happened?" They asked in unison when they throw the door open. They heard a glass smash, looking to the left of the room they saw shattered glass on the ground from a thrown shot glass. Whatever happened had Sirius pissed off._

 _"Look at this." He cried outraged, extending his hand with a paper in it. Stepping forward, Alex took the letter and began reading it with Harry reading over her shoulder._

 _Lord Black,_

 _We find need to inform you of a new development pertaining to your lordship of house Black. As per a recently passed Wizards law, on each year, Lords and Lady's must be in attendance of the Summer Wizengamot to retain Lordships and Ladyships. We have taken upon ourselves to inform you as your status as lord is important to all._

 _To ever flowing gold,_

 _Ragnok_

 _They finished at relatively the same time and Alex placed the letter down on Sirius's desk._

 _"Great, guess we're going back to Britain." Sirius said without his usual sarcasm or wit._

 _"Dad, we knew we'd have to sooner or later." Harry told him trying to make it seem better._

 _"What about you?" Sirius asked directed to Alex._

 _"I'll be around." She assured him._

"How could I not remember? You almost cut off my arm." Harry teased.

"It's not my fault you got scared by the shout and moved, almost impaling yourself." She defended, laughing.

"What's this I hear about impaling?" Sirius asked as he came back over with his bag. Alex and Harry shared a glance before replying in unison. "Nothing." They assured him. Harry turned just in time to grab his bag before it went to go through again.

Sirius and Harry had a suitcase each along with a duffel while Alex just had a duffel and a sling bag. Now with all of their bags, they left the Heathrow airport and entered an empty alley before Harry and Sirius apparated out and Alex disappeared in arcs of blue lightning.

The three appeared at relatively the same time in Potter Home. A home of the Potters that had been in Britain almost as long as the Potters themselves. When Sirius had received the news requiring the return of himself and Harry to Britain he was angry, he knew Dumbledore would try to get Harry back to Britain but trying to take away what was rightfully his? That was unbelievable, but here they were. Back in Britain, after fifteen years, they were back in Britain.

After arriving in the house, they did a sweep before claiming which rooms each wanted. Then the three unpacked somewhat in their rooms before returning downstairs and meeting in the kitchen which had an island that Harry sat at while Sirius stood across from him and Alex stood to the left leaning against the wall.

"Dad?" Harry started hesitantly. Sirius looked up from his notebook, expectantly. "Well since we're going to be here for a while, how about I go in Diagon Alley? You know, get the lay of the land?" Harry suggested. After fifteen years living mainly in New Zealand, Harry had lost most of his British accent and acquired a mostly New Zealand accent with only a hint of his British origins, except when he was mad. If he was mad than his British accent came through fully.

"Uh, I don't think that's such a good idea Harry." Sirius told him reluctant to actually think about it while Alex just watched the conversation.

"Come on dad. And hey, Alex will be with me." Harry persisted.

"What now? I never agreed to-." She was cut off by Harry.

"I'll even wear my necklace." Harry threw in. Sirius looked at him for a second before turning to look at Alex.

"You'll be there?" He questioned. Alex looked to Harry, where she could see him asking her to go along with it.

"Yeah, I'll keep him safe." She assured Sirius. Sirius turned back to Harry, looking at him, before sighing and nodding.

"Okay. But remember, dog tag on at all times." Sirius told him sternly. Harry nodded before going back upstairs to his claimed room to change.

"You know he can take care of himself, right?" Alex questioned once Harry left the room.

"I know but being here just gives me a bad feeling. I don't like that he has to finish growing up here." Sirius shook his head looking after Harry.

"Whoever said he had to finish growing up here?" Alex asked confused. Sirius glanced at her before removing a paper from his inside coat pocket and handing it to her. It was the Gringotts letter but there was more on it now.

 _Lord Black,_

 _We find need to inform you of a new development pertaining your lordship of house Black. As per a recently passed law, on each year, Lords and Lady's must be in attendance of the Summer Wizengamot to retain Lordships and Ladyships. We have taken upon ourselves to inform you as your status as lord is important to all._

 _Also, as legal guardian of Harry James Potter, we find need to inform you of another law that has been recently passed. All members of Wizengamot must have NEWT levels based on that of British standards and grade. Any out of country NEWT will need to either be converted or retaken._

 _To ever flowing gold,_

 _Ragnok_

"Oh shit." Alex muttered after reading the new paragraph.

"Exactly. I hid it before because I didn't want him worrying." Sirius explained.

"Well that was stupid. He's the one that's going to have to go to Hogwarts even though he already graduated." Alex reminded slapping Sirius over the back of the head.

"You don't think I know that?!" Sirius exclaimed. "I have to floo Minerva."

"Wait, why can't Harry's be converted like the letter said." Alex asked quizzically.

"Because I did a little bit more digging into the law. Apparently, Brazil, Australia, America, Canada, and New Zealand NEWT scores cannot be converted." He explained.

"Well, talk about being sh*t out of luck there." Alex remarked.

"It's not about luck, it's about Dumbledore. He proposed this law and had it passed. He assumed we'd be somewhere that speaks English. He just didn't know where, and those are some of the major English speaking populations." Sirius explained.

"What year will he have to be in?"

"Sixth with the rest of his age group since that when NEWT Years start." Sirius answered.

"Why did he do this for NEWT's and not OWL's? Like why would they still transfer? That doesn't make any sense." Alex inquired.

"I have no idea why Dumbledore does the things he does. Maybe because Britain's standards for NEWT's have fallen over the last years and he doesn't want Harry to know too much? I mean, he doesn't know Harry already graduated." Sirius guessed.

"Well, either way, you have to tell him. You can't just say, 'hey we're going to the store.' Then take him to the train station and shove him through the wall and onto the train."

"Why not?" Sirius shrugged.

"Oh, maybe because he would literally kick your ass?" Alex retorted dryly.

"Fine, fine. I'll tell him. Just don't get caught today, okay?" Sirius asked, his eyes begging.

"Don't worry. You know me." She smirked before leaving the room to change clothes.

"Yeah, I do, that's exactly what I'm worried about." Sirius said quietly after she left.

"I HEARD THAT." Came a shout from the hall.

"NO, YOU DIDN'T!" Sirius shouted back.

Barely ten minutes later, Alex met with Harry in the living room, now wearing navy blue with white accents joggers, with all navy low top converse, a white shirt along with her navy-blue leather jacket. After greeting the other, Alex grabbed Harry's shoulder and both disappeared in a whirl of flames before reappearing in an alley right beside the Leaky Cauldron.

Before leaving the alleyway, Harry removed his necklace from his pocket and pulled it over his head, transforming it into a persona he had used many times throughout his lifetime, Ryder Cage. He went from emerald green striking eyes to a steel grey and his hair went from jet-black short and spiky to a light brown undercut. His grey skinny jeans, all black converse, white t-shirt and black slim bomber jacket stayed the same. After sending a nod to Alex, they left the alleyway and entered the Leaky Cauldron.

Harry having never been there, looked around and observed the people and surroundings. The pub was packed to the brim with people all milling around, people were shouting and animals were either meowing or screeching. After having enough of the environment, Harry exited the pub as quickly as possible in search of the Alley with Alex right behind him. Exiting a door of the pub, they arrived in front of a brick wall.

"Now what?" Harry asked exasperated, not thrilled with having run into a dead end. Alex's eyes roamed the wall before widening. She knew what wall this was.

"Kid, take out your wand and hold your arm up." She commanded while he sent her a dubious look. She gave him a look that screamed 'do it'. Listening to her, he removed his wand from his inside jacket pocket and extend his arm. Alex moved over to him and grabbed his arm around the forearm, before pulling him closer to the wall.

She closed her eyes and when she opened them again the irises were gold. Harry noticed it, he had seen her do it before. A few seconds later, the gold irises faded back to emerald green. Now she guided his arm to the pattern needed on the bricks to open the wall.

After she was done, she pulled him back and away from the wall as it began opening. With the wall fully open, they could see people milling around, kids running.

"Guess Sirius didn't tell you how to get in?" Alex guessed.

"Seems so. Guess he was playing to my lack of knowledge in the matter." Harry muttered as he moved forward into the alley. Alex grinned following behind him. They weren't there for any particular reason, just to look around. They made their way down the alley, chatting and looking in store windows.

"It's odd." Harry said randomly. Alex's head turned to face him as they walked down the alley.

"What is?" Alex asked curious.

"How different Britain feels, while at the same time not. Does that make any sense?" Harry asked as they turned towards a store.

"It does. Even though you've never been here you feel a connection to your heritage. No matter how much you love home or how different Britain is. You still feel a connection here however small." She said before pausing as they pushed through the people to get closer to the shop. "It was the same with me and New York, you know?" She said causing Harry to turn around and face her while he was standing on the steps into the shop.

"Really?" Harry asked skeptically.

"Yeah, I just felt at ho-." Alex started only to be cut off.

"Excuse me." Came a voice from behind Harry, causing them both to turn around and look to the door. A girl about Harry's age with blond and silvery blue grey eyes was standing there waiting for them to move so she could get through. Once Harry turned, he looked at the girl and wound up looking her in the eye. A flash of electricity went through her eyes when their eyes met. Alex hadn't seen it as she wasn't looking but Harry had and upon seeing it, took off down the alley, running back towards the entrance.

Alex, shocked by the movement looked after him, before her head whipped to face the girl. Looking in her eyes similar to Harry, she saw an arc of electricity in the girls eyes. Coming to the same conclusion Harry had, Alex took off after Harry, making her way through the people and trying to get to the entrance of the alley.

What neither of them realized was that both of their eyes had also changed. Harry's had wisps of fire appear for a few seconds while Alex's eyes glowed emerald green for a split second. The girl was also shocked and she ran down the steps and went after them. All three of them had understood what it meant. They were all running around people, pushing through groups, all to get out of the alley.

Harry reached the exit first and he ran through the still open bricks, with Alex hot on his heels and the girl right on hers. After clearing the alley, they ran through the pub and out of it. Turning left, they rushed into the alleyway that they arrived in and was Harry in the lead stopped as he waited for Alex. Seconds later, she ran in to the alleyway and continued running, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder, wisps of lightning arced around them as they disappeared. The girl, was right on Alex's heels when she turned the corner. So, when Alex reached Harry, it gave her enough time to dive into them just before they vanished going along with them.

The three vanished, in arcs of blue electricity.

* * *

 _ **So sorry to leave it there but I need to put a cliffhanger in every now and then. Anyway, as always, hope you enjoyed. Happy reading! -DS**_


	5. Away We Go

**_Hey everybody, hope you're doing alright, that's your weeks been good. Anyway, thank you for the everlasting support but now without further ado, on with the story!_**

 _Flashbacks_

* * *

 ** _How It Should've Been_**

 ** _Chapter 4: Away We Go_**

 _It had been hardly a week since the death of the Potters and yet Alex and Sirius were already at the others' throats, arguing._

 _"Do you think I give a crap!?" Sirius cried outraged. "You're leaving him!"_

 _"I told you from the start that I wouldn't always be here! That I had my own life too!" Alex shouted back._

 _"He should be top priority!" Sirius yelled._

 _"Maybe for you! But remember, this is not my home! New York is! I have a life there and people to help! I have to deal with my own problems!" Alex countered._

 _"He needs your help more!"_

 _"No, he doesn't! He's not fighting a battle of life or death right now! My friends are!" She shouted._

 _"And what happens if you die?" He demanded._

 _"I don't plan to."_

 _"If you go, don't bother coming back." He told her firmly. Alex's jaw clenched and her eyes flashed with power before she vanished in arcs of electricity._

The three vanished in arcs of electricity.

They reappeared sprawled on the floor of the living room of the Potters home. Alex, who was flat on her back on the floor next to where the coffee table was groaned before flipping over onto hands and knees and standing. Harry who was laying on his back through the wreckage that once was the coffee table, groaned before rolling over and pushing himself upright. They shared a look before looking around the room. The girl from the Diagon Alley landed upside down on one of the leather sofa's. They watched her as she righted herself and stood.

She stared right back at them, not the slightest bit worried that she had just hiked an uninvited ride or that they didn't look particularly thrilled.

"You're like me." She said bluntly, with no preamble.

"Well why else would we have been in Diagon?" Alex remarked.

"You aren't a witch." The girl commented looking at Alex. Alex and Harry shared a glance.

"How'd you know?" Alex questioned curious.

"I presume the same way you knew I wasn't merely a witch." The girl answered and when Harry raised an eyebrow she continued. "Your eyes glowed emerald green for a second." She directed towards Alex. "And your eyes had wisps of fire in them." She told Harry. "As I assume mine held electricity." She finished.

"As they reflect the power you hold. You nor my friend here are full Masters. But rather partials." Alex commented.

"And yours flashed your iris color. Because you are a master." The girl finished.

"Why'd you chase us?" Harry demanded.

"Why'd you run?" The girl countered.

"We're incredibly rare to begin with, imagine how insane it would seem to see another in a wizarding alley, today. Also, you are as much as a threat as we are. Had no idea what you'd do." Alex answered.

"I chased because you intrigued me." The girl also answered. "I'm Luna." She introduced herself. Alex's eyes widened for a split second.

"Alex." She followed suit before sharing a look with Harry, who was still in his disguise. She nodded. He reach up and tapped his dogtag, causing his short and spiky jet-black hair to came back as well as his emerald green eyes.

"Harry." He followed after the other two. Luna's eye widened.

"Why'd you reveal yourself to someone you don't even know?" She inquired, curious.

"Well there aren't many of us so we have to stick together, right?" He answered. Luna nodded in response. Sirius entered the room seconds later. He looked from Luna to Alex and then to Harry.

"Should I be worried?" He asked.

"Nah." Alex answered. Sirius nodded.

"Harry, can I speak with you in the study?" He asked and turned leaving the room not waiting for an answer. Harry looked to Alex before leaving the room behind Sirius. Alex turned back to look at Luna.

"So, how much do you know? "Alex questioned.

"I know the world if that's what you're asking." Luna answered.

"How? Is someone in your family a full master?" Alex demanded.

"No, a friend of mine who's aunt's cousin is a one though."

"So, your friends, aunt's cousin is a master. Have you met them?"

"Yes, he taught me about the world when he saw the same thing that you saw today. He taught me how to control my power and use it with my magic." Luna spoke. Alex nodded in acceptance.

"You go to Hogwarts?"

 _Meanwhile_

"Harry, I haven't been exactly honest with you." Sirius started once the two were in the study.

"Meaning?" Harry asked, skeptical and cautious. Sighing, Sirius reached in a desk cabinet and pulled out the letter from Gringotts. He handed it to Harry. Harry opened it and was about to comment but his mouth closed when he saw the new paragraph. His brows furrowed and he read on. His eyes widened as he read. Finishing he looked up at Sirius.

"Why?" Harry demanded.

"I didn't want you to worry about it at the time." Sirius told him sadly.

"Alex. How long has she known?" He demanded.

"Just earlier today. I showed it to her and she told me I had to tell you. That you deserved to know." Sirius admitted.

"She shouldn't have had to tell you that! You know! You know that I can handle it! That I deserve to know!" Harry cried out.

"I know, I know. I'm sorry. I wanted to find a way out of this but I couldn't. I floo'ed Minerva and a friend in the ministry. I think we came up with a compromise."

"Which is?"

"You go to Hogwarts not just to take the exams but for you sixth and seventh years, even though you've already graduated. If you agree to do that, the ministry will allow you to go under your alias. Nobody has to know you're really Harry Potter. Everybody can see you as Ryder Cage." Sirius answered.

"I don't have much of a choice here, do I?" Harry said sullenly.

"I'm sorry." Sirius said looking down.

"It's not your fault. You just wanted to protect me. And I should be thanking you for what you managed to do. Not having to do it as Harry might be easier." Harry admitted. "I guess I have to be on that train on September 1st, hm?"

"More than likely. Remember you have to just play the part of a transfer student that's just trying to get through the year. No unnecessary attention. Alex can take you to Diagon later in the month for what you need. Minerva said she'd send a list in a few days." Sirius assured him. Harry nodded in response. Harry turned to leave the study and when he was about to open the door and leave, Sirius called out to him. "Oh, and Harry, you shouldn't reveal yourself unless absolutely necessary. You'll know if it is or not." Harry nodded and with that he left that study going back to the living room.

Entering the living room, he saw Alex and Luna were still there. They hardly even moved.

"Looks like I'm going to be spending the next two years at Hogwarts." He said with resignation.

"The new law." Luna assumed. Harry looked at her and nodded.

"Luna, when you see me there. My name is Ryder Cage, and I look how I did when you first saw me, okay?"

"Okay Harry Potter." Alex and Harry shared a look.

"So, I was thinking. Just because you're at Hogwarts doesn't mean you shouldn't still be training. And depending on how good Luna is maybe you could help each other out. And I can pop in like once a week or something." Alex suggested.

"Where would we train and not get caught? How could you even get into the castle?" Harry asked.

"Your mother told me about this room. Apparently, it could be anything you needed. She said it was called the Room of Requirement, it was on the seventh floor." Alex answered.

"The elves call it the come-and-go room." Luna added.

"And nobody could find us?"

"Nope, once we're in the room and close the door, it disappears again." Alex told him

"And you have to pace three times in front of the painting, thinking about the room you want to be able to get in." Luna told him.

"Okay, training will definitely be taking place then. Luna, what can you do?"

* * *

Over the next three weeks, the two of them met with Luna regularly to find over what she was capable of. During this time, they also get to know the girl and become friends. Harry knew he'd at least be going into this with one friend.

After donning his necklace, the time came for Alex and Harry to go to Diagon for Harry's school supplies. The only things he actually really needed was the robes and the books. He already had everything else. His chosen electives were Ancient Runes and Arithmancy as none of the other elective courses were that helpful to him. He'd already taken Warding, Martial Arts, Tactics, and Offensive Casting at Prodigal Institute, the school he went to in New Zealand but at Hogwarts they didn't have any classes like those.

He already had a wand, his wand he's used since he was 9 as that was the age schooling starting in New Zealand, it had a magma core, and was comprised of an onyx and firestone shell with imperial gold infused into the onyx.

They first stopped to get robes and nearly a half hour later, they were leaving and going to get books.

Upon entering the shop, Harry promptly ran into someone, causing them to nearly fall backwards if he hadn't caught her. Though he hadn't managed to catch her books. She was flush against him as he held her. Releasing her, he bent down and helped her pick up her books. When they stood they just kinda stared at each other.

"I'm sorry." Harry apologized.

"It's fine." She assured him quietly before walking past him and then past Alex before leaving the shop. Harry turned as she walked and looked after her. Alex noticing his gaze, looked to where he was looking.

"What?" She questioned.

Shaking his head, he replied, "Nothing." They turned back and walked further into the shop. They moved along the aisles, picking up what they needed along the way.

Less than ten minutes later they were at the checkout counter paying for the books and leaving. With the needed sixth year texts in hand, they left Diagon and exited the Leaky Cauldron, walking to the alley beside it. Once there, they made sure no one was watching before Harry apparated away and Alex disappeared in small arcs of electricity.

Days later it was time to board the express. Sirius and Harry had to say their goodbyes at home, and Alex went with the disguised teen to the platform. They both went through the barrier, luckily Alex could because of an old friend. Wishing each other well and saying goodbye, Harry checked his pockets. He had his trunk shrunk and in his pocket. It was 10:50. He went straight to the train and boarded.

Walking through the train, he looked through the open compartments to find one. Most had at least three or four people in them. He didn't want a crowded one, so he continued on until he found one with only one person in it. She was standing with her back to him as she put her trunk up.

"Mind sharing?" He questioned, drawing her attention as she turned around to face him. It was the girl from the bookstore.

"All yours."

"Thanks." He entered the compartment, closing the door behind him and sat opposite her. "So, I never did catch your name."

She looked at him as if she was trying to read him. "Hermione Granger. And you?" She beckoned.

"Ryder Cage. Nice to meet you. Again, I am sorry about before."

"It's alright. I haven't seen you around before. What house are you in?" She questioned.

"I'm not in one yet." He paused at her confused look and continued, "I'm a transfer." He explained.

"Oh, I didn't know Hogwarts took transfers."

"Well my father is friends with the deputy headmistress apparently and somebody in the ministry that was able to help him out." He told her.

"Oh." She said before picking up a book from the seat beside and opened it.

"So, what house are you in?" He questioned, interrupting her reading. She looked up.

"Ravenclaw." She put simply, not elaborating just returning to her book. Harry got the message, she didn't want to talk.

When they arrived at Hogwarts several hours later, McGonagall told him to report to the Headmasters office before the feast.

"I figured that you wouldn't want to do your sorting in front of everyone." The headmaster told him after introducing himself. "Place the hat on your head." He beckoned handing him the hat.

"Ah what have we here. A Potter in disguise hm?" A voice in his head said.

"If you could not divulge that information, that'd be great." Harry thought.

"You're cunning, very much so. But you're also loyal and brave. Though you know how to use them all together don't you? You don't run headlong into something like a mindless idiot. You're brave but you're smart as well. So not Gryffindor. Hm, where to put you?"

"Not Slytherin. For this to work, I can't draw attention." Harry told the hat.

"Ah yes, you are very clever and cunning. Hm, it would be a great fit. You are a Slytherin to the heart. But I think it'll be RAVENCLAW."

Harry took off the hat and saw that his robes changed. They were now accented with blue.

"I'm sure Professor Flitwick will be pleased. But now I believe it is time we join the feast." Dumbledore said.

Upon entering the hall, Harry went over to the Ravenclaw table and sat beside Luna.

"Good job." She whispered to him.

"I told you where I'd get sorted." He reminded her as he had told her what house he was going to be sorted into a few weeks ago.

"First I'd like to announce that Professor Snape will be teaching a Defense against the Dark Arts this year while our newest professor, Professor Slughorn will be teaching Potions. Now, LET THE SORTING BEGIN!" Dumbledore called from his chair at the staff table.

* * *

 _ **Okay so Hermione may seem a bit out of character well as you can already tell by her house she isn't the same. Anyway, as always, hope you enjoyed and Happy Reading! -DS**_


	6. Behind The Front's & Masks

_**Hey everybody, hope you're doing alright and I hope your enjoying. Thank you for the support on this story. But now without further ado!**_

 _ **Happy Holidays!**_

 _Flashbacks_

* * *

 _ **How It Should've Been**_

 _ **Chapter 5: Behind the Front's & Masks**_

 _November 1981_

 _After Alex had vanished, Sirius just stared at the spot she had disappeared from. He knew he shouldn't have said it but he was angry._

 _Now he had no idea what to do. As soon as he said the words he regretted it but she was gone before he could take it back. Sirius didn't know why they fought constantly. The day after they met they started fighting for one reason or another. They clashed worse than Sirius and his brother had. In the past week, Sirius had learned quite a bit about Lily's younger sister._

 _The first thing being she was a sarcastic smart-ass, but he couldn't hold it against her it wasn't like he was much better. Aside from that they shared little to nothing in common other than having relations to Harry. They were from two different worlds and while Alex knew a lot about the wizarding world it didn't help when Sirius knew next to nothing about her world. Sirius could've chalk it up to her world apparently being the wizarding worlds parent world, so of course she knew more but still._

 _In the beginning of the week they only spoke to one another when it was a response or if it was necessary. Neither was big on revealing more about themselves then they had to until they had a read on the other. Sirius couldn't read her emotions at all during the first two days. He was an Auror for god's sake. He was good at reading people. Even people that didn't want to be read, but Alex threw him for a loop._

 _Until…_

 _It was the third day into the week after the Potters death._

 _Sirius walked around the corner and heard someone talking. He stopped abruptly and hide behind the corner. Peeking around the corner he saw two people talking. One had a leather jacket on and he knew it was Alex. He had no idea who the other was. Pulling out his wand, he cast a discreet spell allowing him to hear better._

 _"Alex, I'm telling you she's not there." The males voice said._

 _"Why? Where the hell else would she be?" Alex wondered crossing her arms._

 _"You sure Hestia told you to go there?" The man asked._

 _"Jake, I am one hundred percent positive."_

 _"Then if this kid is missing, that's not good. Demi-god children don't just go missing, they either are claimed, live out their lives unaware or die young." The man, named Jake, said._

 _"I know, if this kid's not there then maybe… how old was this kid supposed to be exactly?" Alex inquired curiously._

 _"Less than six months old apparently. The weird thing is that when I went to the house, the mother had no idea what I was talking about. She said she gave the kid up to a woman a few months back. The woman supposedly said she could help her and knew what was happening. Apparently, this kid blew out a light bulb so I'd assume it's a kid of Zeus though if so, she's starting early." Jake explained._

 _"Do we have any idea who the woman was?" Alex questioned._

 _"From what we could tell it wasn't a demi-god so we're lost."_

 _"What if this kid wasn't a daughter of Zeus or even a Demi-god?"_

 _"Then what do you propose she is?" Jake exclaimed._

 _"Come on don't tell me the magic world didn't occur to you as a possibility? You're a son of Hecate for Hades sake!"_

 _"But still why would she be taken from her mother that young?" Jake questioned confused._

 _"Maybe she was unfit to deal with it? Until we know who took her, we can't figure this out." Alex told him._

 _"What did Hestia say her name was again?" Jake asked._

 _"Luna." Alex answered and Jake nodded. They bid goodbyes and he flicked his hand disappearing in a torrent of blue smoke._

 _Sirius canceled the spell and moved so he was fully hidden behind the corner. He closed his eyes and leaned against the wall before he sighed in relief for not being spotted. He opened his eyes and glanced around the corner again to see if Alex had left. With his head around the corner he didn't notice someone had walked up behind him._

 _"Whatcha doing?" A voice asked behind him causing Sirius to jump and spin around._

 _"Alex!? I thought I heard something." He tried._

 _"So, your hiding around a corner?" She asked raising an eyebrow._

 _"When you put it like that, it sounds pathetic." He admitted with a small laugh._

 _"Mm, so anything there?"_

 _"Uh no, nope didn't find anything." Sirius lied._

 _"Good, it'd be kinda scary if something was in here and we didn't know it." She chuckled as she walked away._

 _"Yeah." Sirius mumbled._

 _It was then that he learned more about Alex than he had the past three days combined. She knew exactly what to say to sound unsuspecting while also being secretive. She wasn't afraid to lie if she had to, just to keep things private._

 _The next day, Sirius was walking into his study when he saw Alex sitting in his chair leaning back with legs on the table. When she saw him enter she set her legs on the ground and stood._

 _"I know you were spying on my conversation yesterday." Alex said with no preamble._

 _"I don't know what you're talking about." Sirius feigned innocence. Alex walked around the desk._

 _"Don't play games with me Sirius. I know you were spying. Question is, why? Huh? What do you have to gain?" Alex questioned._

 _"Knowledge on whether I can trust you or not. I don't trust people I don't know. I can't read you, I know very little about you and spying seemed like the best option." Sirius answered._

 _"I agree. So, you left your girlfriend to come here and raise Harry. But she wouldn't follow? Why, did she care for you that little?" Alex baited him._

 _"Hey! Amelia and I love each other! But she has a family there as well, people she needs to be there for! We went our separate ways for now!" Sirius defended._

 _"Ah defending an ex? Someone you loved enough to consider proposing to? I mean, she obviously said no." Alex paused when she saw the look on his face. "Oh… how tragic, you didn't get the chance to propose. Maybe if you had asked, maybe she would've actually given you another thought before leaving you." Alex continued taunting him._

 _Sirius snapped, he surged forward slamming Alex into the wall of bookcases with such a force that the cases shook causing the books to tumble out of the shelves and onto the ground, with a hand around her neck. He had a fury in his eyes. She chuckled and the lights flickered and a second later they were back on, but Alex was no longer pinned against the bookshelves. Sirius's eyes widened in shock, and his head turned left and right looked around. Books were littered on the ground._

 _"Behind ya." A voice came causing Sirius to whip around and there was Alex standing in the center of the room facing him with her arms crossed. "I'll admit, good try but let me give you a hint of advice Sirius… have that." She pointed the bookcases, "be a one-time thing." She finished. "Because while you may be an Auror, you can't beat me. I don't appreciate being spied on, and it's obvious that you don't either. It's also pretty obvious that I'm much better at spying than you are. What I do isn't any of your business." She told him and anybody would've been able to hear the warning in her words._

 _"If you're in my house it is!" Sirius snapped._

 _"Guess it's a good thing I'm not in your house then." She smirked before walking out of the study leaving Sirius standing there, surrounded my fallen books, seething._

 _Two days later here he was, standing in the foyer after having an argument that resulted in him telling Alex to basically screw off._

 _He thought back to that day in the study. She knew exactly how to get to him, exactly what to say to make him angry, to provoke him. He had to admit, she was better at spying and observations than he was. She predicted what he would do even without knowing him that long. Neither of them trusted the other and that was her way of figuring him out, finding out what makes him tick._

 _Even with the conversation he overheard, he still couldn't peg her. He knew there was more to her than he originally thought, she knew how to hide emotions. All of this led Sirius to two conclusions, there was more to her history that he didn't know, and that she had experience._

 _Meanwhile…_

 _When Alex disappeared from the foyer she reappeared in her apartment building. It was a sky-rise in New York that Alex and a group of other people were known to own, but in reality, the gods owned it. They had only made it seem like a group of people did for a front. It was a demi-god rise. It was 17 stories and the first three full of any clear-sighted mortals while the other fourteen held apartments occupied by Demi-gods._

 _While some viewed it as a target for monsters, it wasn't. It was protected by the gods and anybody that wasn't a Demi-god or clear-sighted mortal that tried to enter would suddenly forget what they were doing and turned around. To monsters it was invisible and inaccessible. It was a safe-haven._

 _Alex along with other pseudo-owners lived in the sixteenth and seventeenth floors. There was six of them and each apartment was a level and a half. All six of them had a bottom level and then a loft level. Once she appeared in the building, she rode the elevator up to the floor before entering the apartment opposite her own._

 _"Alex?" Came a voice._

 _"Dave, I need to talk to you." Alex called. Someone came walking down the stairs._

 _"Yeah, what's up?" The man, Dave, asked._

 _"Can you tell if a child is magical?"_

 _"Yes… if I was close to them. Why?" Dave answered._

 _"A child went missing, I'm not sure if they're a demi-god or a witch." Alex answered._

 _"Ah, well if the child's missing there's not much we can do until she's found."_

 _"That's what I figured. Let Jake know." Alex told him before leaving the apartment._

* * *

 _ **Alright so as you can see this is a shorter than normal chapter, that's because it's a flashback and this was as far as this part could go. Now there will be more chapters like this, that are flashbacks for the entire thing. Also, this is not a PJO crossover, just so you know. Anyway, as always hope you enjoyed and Happy Reading! -DS**_

 _ **Question! What do you think happened to the baby girl?**_


	7. Can't We Get A Break?

**_Hey everyone, how are you doing? Great? Fantastic, talk about a one-sided conversation. Anyway, I want to thank you for the support on this story, know that it will always remain helpful. I never want to be one to beg for reviews, but they really do give me an idea to how you guys are liking the story. So consider it? Now without further ado, on with the story!_**

 _Flashbacks_

* * *

 ** _How It Should've Been_**

 ** _Chapter 6: Can't We Get a Break?_**

It had been a week since Harry had arrived at Hogwarts and was sorted into Ravenclaw. He sat up in his bed on the Saturday morning and thought about his past week.

 _"Now it is time to feast!" Dumbledore called after all the first years had been sorted. Food appeared on the tables in front of them and everyone began eating and just having a good first feast back._

 _"Your staring." Luna remarked from Harry's right._

 _"What? No, I'm not." Harry argued._

 _"You are. Your staring at Hermione. Why?" Luna asked. Harry shook his head before turning to look at her._

 _"I don't know." He admitted. "I ran into her at the book shop in the alley and then sat with her on train." He told Luna._

 _"She intrigues you?" Luna asked as Harry turned his head back to look at where Hermione was further down the table._

 _"Yeah, you could say that." He muttered just loud enough for Luna to hear him._

Standing, Harry moved to his trunk and grabbed out clothes before going to take a shower and get dressed. He shared a room with one other Ravenclaw boy, Terry Boot. The Ravenclaw dorms were split into sets of two for the dorms.

Once in the shower and knowing Terry was still asleep Harry slipped his necklace off.

After finishing his shower, Harry put his necklace back on and activated it before he got dressed in his Hogwarts uniform before leaving the dorm and going down to the common room. It was six thirty in the morning, so the common room was mostly empty. All except for a girl sitting on the couch reading a book, Hermione. Harry moved over to the couch and sat next to her.

The shift in the couch caused her to look up from her book. Harry offered her a small smile. She just went back to reading. After a few minutes, she became annoyed and looked back up.

"Why do you seem to be everywhere?" Hermione snapped.

"What do you mean?" Harry confused.

"Are you like a stalker or something? You're always around." She blurted out, causing Harry to chuckle.

"No, I assure I am not a stalker. But can't I want to be friends?" Harry questioned.

"Why would you want to be friends with me?" She asked cautious.

"Here's a better question, who wouldn't?"

"Most people." She answered looking down.

"Well, I guess it's a good thing I'm not like most people. Because I want to be friends with you." Harry said. Her head shot up and whipped to face him, eyes wide. "So, let's start over. Ryder Cage." He held his hand out waiting for her to do the same.

"Hermione Granger." She had a small smile ghosted on her face as she extended her hand and shook his. After she went back to her book.

Frowning slightly Harry continued. "What's your favorite color?" She looked at him like 'what in the world?'. He raised an eyebrow as if saying 'just answer it.'

Looking between the book and Harry, she sighed before closing the book and setting it on the end table to her left.

"Green." She answers shifting her body to face him slightly. "Your's?"

"Navy." He answered with a grin, but he didn't ask another question Hermione looked at him confused. "We go back and forth."

"Okay, what school did you go to before you transferred?"

"Prodigals Institute. When's your birthday?"

"September 19th. When's yours?"

"November 15th. What's your middle name?" Harry lied and countered.

"Jane. What's one thing you hate about the wizarding world?"

"It's prejudices. What did your parents think when they learned you were a witch?" Harry asked. Hermione looked shocked.

"H-how did you know?" She stammered.

"That you're a muggleborn? It's not hard to figure out." At her look Harry continued, "I don't mean it rudely, I told you, I hate the prejudices. Now I believe I asked a question?"

"As you can imagine they were shocked and unbelieving but they had to believe, they saw some of the impossible things I've done. What about you?" She asked and even though she did specify what she was asking, Harry understood.

"Half-blood. My mother was a muggleborn, my father a pureblood. What do your parents do for a living?"

"They're dentists. What do yours do?" She asked not realizing.

"They're not around anymore." From his tone, Hermione put the pieces together and understood.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know." She tried.

"It's okay. They died a long time ago. I live with my dad and aunt." He told her.

"But I though-?" She trailed off.

"They are, my dad is my dad in everything but blood. Though my aunt is actually my blood. My mom's sister." He informed her. The questions ended and they just began talking about random things until more and more people filled the common room and they realized the time. Knowing it was getting late, they made their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast.

They were about to sit down when Harry noticed something. The candle that was on the table in front of him flickered. Now to anyone else it would've just been a flicker but Harry saw the pattern to it. It would flicker then pause then flicker twice before pausing again. He recognized that pattern. It was one he and his family used when they needed to talk.

Hermione hadn't seen his hesitation when she sat. He turned slightly to her still with one leg on either side of the bench still standing. "I'll be right back." He assured her and went to turn to leave but she caught his arm.

"Wait, where are you going?" She asked frowning slightly.

"I have to go do something." He answered but gave no indication of what it was he was going to do. With that he moved and made his way back out of the Hall.

He hurriedly made his way to the Room of Requirement. Once the door appeared he stepped into the room for all of a second before he vanished in a column of fire. Upon his disappearance, the room reverted back to its normal state, waiting for the next person to use it.

Harry appeared in front of the fireplace in the house. As he walked towards the study, he tapped the necklace and when he entered the room, his appearance was back to normal. Upon entering the study, he saw Alex sitting on the edge of his dads desk waiting.

"I'm here, what's up?" He said drawing her attention from a paper.

"Not exactly sure." Alex admitted as she stood and reached forward handing him the paper. It was a letter.

 _Harry,_

 _My boy, I've had to leave. I'm sorry, know that more than anything else, but being back in Britain has allowed me to see the truth. I can't help you be the man you need to be. The man your parents would want you to be. That's why, next summer you will be spending the summer with your aunt. I know this is abrupt but I believe this is for the best. I wish you the best._

 _umDeobdler_

"What the hell? Dad wouldn't do this no matter what country we're in. And why call me 'my boy'? He's never called be that before. And he would never use the word aunt in the context to reference to you." Harry was incredibly confused, he looked up to Alex hoping she had more answers then he did.

"I don't know much more than you. Other than the fact that I know your looking in the wrong place for answers." She said standing and she moved around the desk to the other side. "But I do know this isn't from Sirius and I have a guess as to who it's from." She revealed.

"Who?" Harry demanded, she beckoned for him to stand next to her. She picked up a pencil and wrote on a piece of paper.

"Look at the signature." She told him as she wrote down the letters on the new paper. "umDeobdler. That's not a name if I've ever heard one. And certainly not your dad's. Watch." She told him as she started rearranging the letters starting with the capital D.

"Oh my gods." Harry breathed.

"You want answers to those questions. That's where you're going to get them." She told him as they both looked at the respelled word.

 _umDeodbler_

 _Dumbledore_

"Why would he sign it his own name?" Harry asked.

"I don't think he did." Alex admitted.

"What'd you mean?" Harry asked looking up from the paper.

"The letter is in Sirius's handwriting. And from what I know, there isn't a spell that can replicate handwriting this exact. The only spells I've seen that can, have some unique identifiers in the writing, there aren't any here." Alex explained.

"So that would mean he had to have wrote it." Harry concluded. "Well what can we do to find him? How do we confront Dumbledore?" Harry questioned.

"We?" She looked at him, before shaking her head and walking over to a bookshelf to the left of the desk. "No, kid your going back to school. I'm figuring this out." She told him.

"What? No! He's my dad and I am perfectly capable of helping find him!" Harry exclaimed not caring about the reasons.

"You think I don't know that?" Alex asked when she whipped around to face him at his words. "I know you are capable and I know you want to help. But you can't. You have to go back to school and act like nothing happened because as far as they're concerned you are Ryder Cage, you have no relation to Sirius Black and we can't risk Dumbledore finding out and doing more than he already has. Your dad is obviously fighting back. He wrote that letter with clues, and now it's my turn to follow up on them. And it's your turn to trust me enough to find." She told him firmly not giving an inch.

"Alex…" He began only to be cut off.

"Do you trust me?" Alex demanded.

"That's not the point-" He was cut off again.

"Do you?"

"Yes, but-"

"So, help your dad by raising hell at school. You do that, it keeps Dumbledore distracted, and it gives us more time to find him before anything bad can happen. So, go back to school, give Dumbledore hell and you will be helping your dad." She finished leaving no room for argument. She pulled a book before opening it and removing something from it before closing it, and taking the letter on her way towards the door. When she reached it, Harry called out.

"Alex." He called causing her to turn around and lift an eyebrow in question. "What're you going to do?"

"Find the one person that knows your dad better than you do." She turned and left the study before disappearing in arcs of electricity.

After she left, Harry sighed. He knew to listen to Alex. He may not have wanted to but he knew she was better at finding people than almost anyone. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted a picture on the desk. He reached out and picked it up.

It was a photo of him and Sirius, both holding a surf board in one arm from one of their many vacations. "Time for the Marauders legacy to live on, huh dad?" He set the frame down before leaving the room. He may not have been able to directly help find his dad, but he could certainly make Dumbledore's life hell until Alex could.

* * *

 _ **Hey everyone, so I realized I never mentioned this and some people might be wondering. Now you can imagine that if Harry went into Hogwarts with a glamour the wards would remove it. Well the dog tags necklace that he wears is not a normal magic item. It is a necklace created by Hecate which Alex got as a favor. Anyway, hope you enjoyed and Happy Reading! -DS**_

 _ **So, Sirius has gone missing under some seriously odd circumstances. Who do you think Alex has gone to find?**_


	8. I Can't, But We Could

_**Thank You for all of the support! Without further ado, on with the story!**_

 _Flashback_

 _ **How It Should've Been**_

 _ **Chapter 7: I Can't, But We Could**_

 _It had been two days since Alex had left and for Sirius they had been hell. Not because he couldn't take care of Harry on his own but because while they weren't friendly to one another he got used to having another person around the house, and now with no one else around he was left to his thoughts which always managed to go back to Lily and James and how Harry wouldn't have them in the future to go to._

 _Elsewhere…_

 _Alex was exchanging blows with another person. Well more like Alex was hitting him as he tried to fight back. It finally got to a point where Alex had enough and after catching a punch she yanked on the man's arm pulling him forward while at the same time bringing her right arm forward in a blast of air that sent him flying back over ten feet into a pillar, where he landed in a heap on the ground. He moved slightly, rolling on to his hands and knees. Alex walked over to him, where she crouched in front of him and grabbed the front of his shirt pushing him into a sitting position._

 _"Tell me!" She demanded angrily._

 _"I can't he'll find me!" The man cried._

 _"You should be more worried about me!" Alex countered, eyes flashing with power._

 _"Alright! Alright! Talk to Hecate! She would know!" The man stammered, giving in trying to get out of harm's way._

 _"Thanks." Alex said but before she stood she punched him in the face effectively knocking him out before standing and disappearing in electricity._

 _She reappeared in front of Jake._

 _"He tell you anything?"_

 _"Only the same that the last two rogues have. That his leader would find him and to talk to Hecate." She informed him._

 _"Well that's not helpful, since no one knows where she is!" Jake exclaimed._

 _"Well you're her son maybe you should pray to her?" Alex suggested._

 _"You think I haven't tried that? She didn't answer, I even managed to ask Athena, no one's seen Hecate in the weeks." Jake explained._

 _"About the same time the child went missing?" Alex inquired._

 _"I'm not sure the exact date." Jake remarked not really paying attention. A few seconds later he realized what she said and his head shot up. "You don't think?" He asked drawing Alex's attention from a notebook._

 _"Anything's possible."_

* * *

After Alex left the study she went straight to the ministry but rather than going in the entrance like a wizard or witch might, Alex appeared in an empty storage room. Opening the door, she exited the room before looking around and seeing what department she wound up in. Department of Magical Transport, she read from the nearest sign. Not the one she was looking for.

She went the way she guessed the lifts were based on the direction of traffic flow and eventually found them. Checking the floor signs, she entered a lift. When she went to go press the button for the correct level she was surprised to see there were none.

"What the hell is that?" She muttered looking at the odd lever level selector. It took her a second or two before figuring out how to properly work the thing but once she did she selected the correct floor and pulled the gate down as the lift started to go down.

Not long later a voice called "Level Two." Alex exited the lift and made her way in the direction she believed would take her where she needed to go. When she turned left around a corner she collided dead set with another woman, causing the woman to drop the file she was carrying. The woman paid no heed to the fact that she dropped something and more to Alex.

"Who are you?" She demanded obviously not thrilled that Alex was neither wearing robes nor the fact that she didn't have a visitor's pass.

"I'm somebody that's looking for somebody else." Alex replied cryptically. The woman's eyes narrowed and Alex spotted hand movement out of the corner of her eye, the woman was now holding a wand that Alex knew she wasn't holding a second ago.

"You plan to curse me for looking for someone?" Alex remarked. The woman's eyes widened slightly, barely but just enough for Alex to notice.

"If you don't tell me who you are I just might." The woman threatened, obviously not in the joking mood.

Alex had a small grin on her face as she chuckled slightly. "Tell you what? Why don't you take me to Amelia Bones and I just might?" Alex offered.

The woman clearly wasn't having it. "How about I arrest you and if I see her I'll pass on a message?" The woman countered.

Alex's grin never left her face. "I'll think I'll pass on the arresting part but if you see tell her I'm looking for an ex-boyfriend of hers, yeah?" Alex told her. The woman's fingers gripped her wand tighter.

"You might want to make that a little more specific, you won't get another message." The woman warned.

"Fine. Tell her I'm looking for the person she choose her family over. She'll know who I'm talking about." Alex retorted. The woman's mouth opened slightly but she didn't say anything for a few seconds.

"Come with me." She demanded before waving her wand causing the forgotten file to fly into her hand as she started walking back the direction she came with Alex following. They entered a department where people were milling around all doing different things. As they approached a door Alex saw the name on it.

"Oh, you're taking me to her, fantastic." She remarked as the woman opened the door and walked straight over to the opposite side of the desk and setting the file down. The office was empty aside from them. She flicked her wand and the door closed behind Alex.

"What do you want?" The woman demanded. Alex looked at the woman before chuckling slightly.

"I'll admit you were good. I didn't suspect it was it you… until you looked me directly in the eye. But maybe that's because I have this?" Alex suggested before she pulled something out of the inside pocket of her leather jacket and threw it on the desk.

Amelia's eyes flicked down to it, before she picked it up and really looked at it and flipped it over. Written on the back was, To our future together! You're not getting rid of me that easily Black. They were much younger in the picture but you could still see who it was.

"Where did you get this?" She demanded when she looked back up at Alex again.

"Sirius's study. He used to have it on his desk when we were in New Zealand but now it's home is a book. A book he knew I would look in." Alex answered. Amelia's jaw clenched slightly at the word 'we'.

"What'd you mean?"

"I'm sure you have a place too. A spot your niece knows to check if something went wrong or you thought something would. Sirius's is a certain book." Alex answered. Her answer caused Amelia's eyes to widen, she put the pieces together.

"What happened to Sirius?" She asked her voice rose an octave.

"I don't know." Alex admitted with a shrug. Amelia went to say something but Alex pulled another paper out of her pocket and reached forward setting on the desk. Amelia frowned slightly before she picked up the paper and read it. Once she finished she set it down.

"Why bring this to me?" She questioned curiously.

"Because I may not know, and I may not be able to find him on my own but then again I don't have to. I just need someone who can. And who better than the person that knows him better than anyone."

"You seem like someone that would know him pretty damn well. And just from knowing you for ten minutes I know that you are not someone to be underestimated. So again, I will ask, why bring this to me? We broke up 15 years ago. That's a helluva long time ago." Amelia inquired clearly skeptical.

"Maybe it is... I may have been around Sirius a lot in the past 15 years." Alex paused when she saw Amelia's face sour, before she had the chance to hide it and look down. "But there are somethings that even time doesn't change." Alex continued causing Amelia to look up. "And I know enough about your split to know that it was more about your obligations than it was about each other. So… you gonna help me or not?"

"This letter was written in Sirius's handwriting, but a lot of this doesn't sound like him. He wouldn't ever use the phrase 'my boy'. He would never suddenly have a realization like that unless it's about a girl, and I have no idea what this signature is. Only thing I don't get is the aunt part, who is that?" Amelia asked as she looked up from the paper.

"Well considering who the letter is from, my guess is that they're referring to Petunia Dursley but Sirius no matter what, would never send him there. But he would never call me aunt in this context, he would say Alex."

"And what relation do you have to Harry?" Amelia inquired. Alex stood before picking up the picture and the letter before sticking it her pocket and reaching over the desk to grab Amelia's forearm before they disappeared in arcs of electricity.

They appeared in Sirius's study back at the house where Amelia landed on his chair and Alex was standing across the desk.

"I'm his aunt." Alex said as she turned to close the study door, not sure if Harry was still here.

"Where the hell are we?" Amelia demanded now standing.

"The study in the Potter Vacation Home in Britain where we've been living for the past month. Now as for your next question, we are here because no offense but I don't trust saying private information about family relations in public. Now for the other question I know you have. I'm Lily's younger sister, yes, she had one. I just wasn't widely known for various reasons and no Sirius did not lie to you, he didn't know either, not until the day after he left Britain." She answered as she moved back over to the desk and placed the letter and the picture back down. "Flip over the letter. That's what I know so far." Alex told her as she did as Alex said and flipped it over.

"Dumbledore." Amelia mumbled taking this new information in.

"Yea. Not that big of a shock to be honest." Alex sighed.

"But why write it like that unless he was resisting something? He put the picture in the book!" Amelia exclaimed.

"So?" Alex asked not seeing how the two connected.

"Whatever happened, he obviously managed to get the picture in the book for you to be able to get to me. So, he did it knowing if we worked together we could find him." She concluded.

* * *

 _Somewhere Unknown_

Sirius was slamming his palm into a wall. The room he was in had navy blue walls. There was a chandler hanging from the middle of the room and it was a nice room except for the fact that he wasn't willingly there.

"You're not going to get away with this!" He shouted but no one heard him. Knowing it was no use, he turned around and slide his back down the wall until he was sitting on the ground with his head resting against the wall. All he could do was wait.

Hogwarts

Harry returned to Hogwarts about twenty minutes after he left and he was just in time to make it to his first class of the day. When he entered the class, he looked around the classroom before taking a seat next to Hermione.

"Where have you been?" She asked looking at him when he sat down.

"Later." He assured her as the class began.

 ** _So, another chapter down and more of the past and present is revealed. Hope you enjoyed, and Happy Reading! -DS_**


	9. We Weren't Always Like This

_**Thank you for all of the support! I try to not ask for this, but please review. It lets me know what you like and don't!**_

 _ **Also! Want to connect with me or get updates? Check out my twitter, DarkSuspense**_

 _ **On with the story!**_

 _Flashbacks_

* * *

 _ **How It Should've Been**_

 _ **Chapter 8: We Weren't Always Like This**_

Just as Harry had promised, they had talked about it later. Even if it wasn't as much later as he would've liked. After the first class, they had a free period, in which Hermione's made sure to drag him to the library so he could tell her what happened.

"Alright spill." She ordered as soon as they sat down. Harry looked at her and sighed.

"I hadn't done something that I remembered I had to alright? Simple enough, I just had to go do it really quick." Harry told her. She looked skeptical and like she wanted to question it but she didn't.

"So just curious. What's your opinion of Dumbledore?" Harry questioned. She looked up from her textbook with a confused face.

"Well he is the greatest wizard alive. He's also the leader of the light, so I think he is someone that we should believe in, he's the reason this school is the safest place in Britain. He's the greatest." Hermione answered. Before questioning "Why what do you think?" She asked curious.

Harry took a breathe before answering. "I just think that people act like he's so great but I mean, do any of you actually know him? You just take it as you hear it." Harry answered causing Hermione to look at him incredulously.

"What are you saying? He is great, everyone looks up to him." Hermione responded.

"Yeah so I've been told." Harry said in a tone that must've told Hermione he didn't. She looked him like he had two heads. "Look, I just don't believe in following blindly. Okay? Seeing is believing and I haven't seen anything that's so special about him." Harry defended.

"Ryder! It's not following blindly, it's respecting adults and authority figures and people that know best." Hermione countered when she turned her body to face him.

"Hermione. Believing that all adults and authority figures have your best wishes in mind is completely misplaced." Harry stated firmly. The look she gave him was one of pure disbelief.

"They know best! They know what we need!" Hermione argued.

"No Hermione, they don't always. They can try but at least a percentage of the time they are going to be wrong." Harry argued. Harry now saw something about Hermione that he didn't before, she had an undying belief that Dumbledore and all other authority figures were to be worshipped. Maybe that was why he was drawn to her, so he could show her the truth before she got hurt because of her belief.

"Ryder! What is wrong with you?" Hermione asked angrily. Harry took a deep breathe trying to bury anything he may have wanted to say but couldn't.

"Hermione, let's just say that my family have some experience with seeing people's true colors. I know not all adults want what's best for us. You will find out one day that some people only do things for themselves. Now let's drop this, we have differing opinions so let's let it go before we get into a fight over it." Harry told her. She obviously didn't want to drop the matter, but seeing the look on his face convinced her to let it go for now.

They remained in the library and mostly in silence for the rest of the period. Eventually it was over and it was lunch time. Entering the hall, Harry followed Hermione but after making a split-second decision he grabbed her arm and pulled her over to where Luna was sitting and sat across from Luna. Hermione frowned before sitting to Harry's right.

"Luna, meet Hermione. Hermione, meet Luna." Harry introduced them while sending Luna a warning look.

"Lovegood." Hermione greeted.

"Granger." Luna responded in kind, sending Harry a look. Harry looked between the two.

"You two know each other?" Harry said in a questioning tone.

"Your friends with Lovegood?" Hermione countered, looking at him. He turned his head to look at her.

"Yeah, is something wrong?" He asked not seeing what he was missing.

"Let's just say Hermione here isn't my biggest fan." Luna interjected, causing Harry to look between the two girls.

"Why?" He asked cautiously.

"It's because of her I don't have any friends. Her ramblings about her 'creatures'" Hermione answered bitterly. Harry's eyebrows shot up. " I'm not that hungry, I'm going back to the library. See you in class Ryder." Hermione said abruptly before picking up and leaving.

"Mhm, not how I saw that going. Why didn't you tell me you knew her?" Harry questioned Luna. Luna looked down at her plate before looking back at Harry.

"Because as I said, she's not my biggest fan." Luna didn't elaborate on it.

"What happened?" Harry persisted. Luna sighed.

"Let's go." She beckoned before standing and she started walking towards the doors of the Hall. Standing Harry followed her out of the Great Hall and through the corridors of the castle until she stopped in front of a painting of a pear. She hit the right spot and the portrait opened. Stepping through, Harry could see that there were house elves everywhere. "This is the kitchens and a pretty good place to talk considering we are missing lunch." She informed him.

"You going to tell me now?" Harry questioned once they sat on one of the benches across from each other.

"Okay, so when I first came to Hogwarts, I met Hermione. And just from spending ten minutes in the same room as her, I thought it was possible that she was a daughter of Athena. N-" Luna was cut off.

"All children of Athena have grey eyes." Harry reasoned.

"Well I know that now. At that point, I was still relatively new to the godly world and I was eleven. So, I told Hermione about some of the creatures that I had learned about. And at first, she didn't believe me, not many, if any did. But I convinced her. We became friends and the longer we were friends the more we spoke about the creatures. One day when we got back from spring break, I don't know exactly what happened but I do know she was being made fun of for her belief. They told her that, those creatures weren't real and that she was crazy. And the more and more they said that she believed them. Everyone saw her as crazy and quite a few still do. She doesn't have many friends and she blames me for that. I learned she wasn't a child of Athena, and since then she hated me, I backed off." She finished looking down at the table.

"Wow. That's… a lot. But, it's not your fault. You didn't know. You can't be blamed for that." Harry assured her.

"Yeah well, Hermione does." Luna countered.

"Well I don't."

"That's because you know the truth. You have Alex who taught you all about her world and taught you to control your powers. You know it all because you grew up with it."

"You're wrong. I didn't. I didn't grow up with it. When I was younger, Alex lived with us but at the same time didn't. I didn't understand it back then, why she would leave and go I didn't even know where. So, one day when I was thirteen, she was about to leave again, and I'll never forget it.

 _Harry came walking around the corner when he spotted Alex walking down the stairs. She obviously walked down the stairs everyday but something was different about this time. She had a backpack in her hand. Following her down the stairs, he followed until he saw her about to walk out the side door that connected the kitchen to the garage._

 _"What're you doing?" Harry asked from behind her, she froze and turned around to face him._

 _"I'll be back in few days." She assured him._

 _"You're leaving again?" Harry asked incredulously. It was the fourth time that summer and it was only a month into it. He had no idea where she went, but she was constantly leaving, and he was tired of it._

 _"I have to." Was all she said._

 _"Just like you had to all of those other times? I never even know where you go! What if I needed you?" His voice got louder with each sentence._

 _"You have Sirius. You'll be fine." She reminded him. He could see something in her eyes but he honestly couldn't have cared less._

"I screamed at her, I said all of these things. Things that I had no right to, but I did because I didn't care, I was angry. I told her that I hated her. And she just took it all, she didn't say anything. After I must've spent a good twenty minutes yelling, insulting, trying to hurt her. I just couldn't yell anymore. So, she looked me and said…"

 _"We will pick this up when I get back." She said not addressing anything he had just said._

 _"No, I want to talk NOW!" He yelled angrily._

 _"Harry! Enough!" Came a voice from behind him. He turned to see Sirius behind him with an angry expression on his._

 _"What you aren't mad she's always leaving?" Harry shouted him._

 _"No, I'm-" He was rudely interrupted by a person falling through the ceiling and landing on the island in the kitchen right next to them._

 _"Alex, it's seems your friend led me right to you." A voice came from the direction Alex was in. Harry and Sirius both turned to Alex with a sword held to her throat and a man standing behind her. The person that had dropped onto the island rolled off of it and using the wall as a crutch stood coughing._

 _"Tyler, don't bring her into this!" The person exclaimed._

 _"Oh, it's too late for that. You already did when you choose her side in this war." The man reminded him. "That's where you made your first mistake, picking the side of somebody that isn't even a demigod. You should know by now, never pick the mortals side." The man smirk cruelly. Sirius and Harry couldn't do anything other than watch the scene play out. Sirius knew Alex would be okay but Harry didn't. All he could think about was all the mean and hurtful things he said and now she may die._

 _"And your first mistake was assuming you know me." Alex commented before disappearing a torrent of fires only to reappear right behind the man and twist his arm past its breaking point causing his arm to break and drop the sword while also kicking out his knee. Once he was kneeling on the ground, a sword materialized out of fire in Alex's hand and now the roles were reversed, the man now had the sword to his neck accept the main difference was the fact that this sword was crackling with electricity. Harry looked on eyes wide and in pure shock. He didn't know how to process everything. A minute ago, he was yelling at his aunt about how she was always leaving and now she was holding a sword to someone's neck._

 _Making a split-second decision, rather than ending the man she flipped the sword over and smashed its hilt into the man's head, rendering him unconscious. The person from before that was leaning on the wall still looked at her curiously._

 _"He may be able to tell us something." She answered his unspoken question. The person nodded, before limping forward and crouching down, he touched the man's shoulder and sent a nod to Alex before the two men disappeared in a flurry of shadows._

"And after that, Alex and Sirius explained everything to me, well they didn't really have much of a choice given everything that had just happened. But that's when I found out the truth. Sirius gave me the ring he would wear on his middle finger, said it was time. And I finally understood some of the things that Alex would do and say that I hadn't before. I was upset that they lied to me for so long but I understood why they did. Just seeing that, I understood." Harry finished.

"I always believed that from how you and Alex acted around each other you were always close." Luna admitted.

"Oh, don't get me wrong, we were as close as we could be with me not knowing a whole other part of her life. But now we are incredibly close. Most of the time it's like she's more my bigger sister than my aunt but she does have her moments when I know she's not." Harry told her. They spoke for a few more minutes before it was time that lunch would've been over and the two went their separate ways to the rest of their day.

* * *

The next morning, Alex was sitting in her own apartment's study in New York. She had been going over possible solutions to find Sirius while Amelia was going over magical means back in Britain. Alex was just writing down a note when the front door to the apartment closed. Alex didn't pay it any mind and just continued on. A knock drew her attention.

Jake was standing in the study doorway, knocking to get her attention. "Hey." He greeted.

"Yeah, what's up?" Alex asked closing the book she was previously reading.

"I was actually just going to ask you that very question." He informed her. She tilted her head to the right and lifted an eyebrow in question. "A book of mine went missing this morning. And don't say you didn't take it, it's sitting on your desk right there." He commented as he pointed to the book.

"Well if you already know I took it, why confront me about it?"

"Because knowing you did doesn't explain why you did? What do you need with a book on magic?" Jake questioned curiously.

Alex sighed before looking from the book sitting on the desk up to Jake. "I'm looking for someone." She admitted before taking the letter from 'Sirius' out of the desk drawer and handing it to Jake. He stepped forward and took it, observing it. His eyebrows furrowed.

"Well I don't know who this is meant to be from but there is an odd magical aura on it."

"Meaning?" Alex asked leaning forward in the chair.

"Meaning, whoever was meant to write this definitely did but I don't think it was of their own free will. This signature at the bottom, what is it?" Jake inquired. Alex picked up a paper that was lying on the desk and handed it to him. "Hm, so whoever wrote this obviously fought back against whatever was compelling them, that's why I it seems like this signature looks like this. This more than likely wasn't the name they were meant to write, but they fought it and left it as a clue." Jake concluded before handing the papers back to Alex.

"Could you find the person that wrote this?"

"Possibly yes. If you had something of theirs, and that letter more than likely yes." Jake answered. Alex nodded thoughtfully.

"You busy today?"

"No?" Jake asked totally wondering where that came from.

"Good." Alex stood taking the papers before she picked up her leather jacket from the back of the office chair before walking around the desk. "Hold on." She ordered as she grabbed Jake's forearm causing them both to disappear in a flurry of flames.

Seconds later they appeared in Sirius's study back in Britain, shocking Amelia halfway to hell and causing her to jump up out of the chair and cast a stunner at them. Alex flicked her hand causing the spell to change direction and make a sharp right hitting the bookshelf. Once Amelia saw who it was she relaxed somewhat but not completely since she had absolutely no idea who the man was.

As if reading her mind, Alex spoke. "This is a close friend of mine Jake. He can help us find Sirius."

"How?" Amelia looked skeptically between the two.

"Find me something of his and I'll show you." Jake grinned slightly.

* * *

 _ **And that concludes this chapter. I believe this gave a little more background to some family history. Thank you for all of the support! As always, hope you enjoyed and Happy Reading! -DS**_


	10. Truth For One, Illusions For All

_**Thank you for all the support! On with the story!**_

 _ **Happy New Year! Let's kick 2018 off right shall we?**_

* * *

 _ **How It Should've Been**_

 _ **Chapter 9: Truth for One, Illusions for All**_

"Find me something of his and I'll show you." Jake grinned slightly.

Amelia looked at him as if was asking for a body part. Her gaze shifted to Alex.

"Amelia, Jake is a friend. If he says he can do it, then he most certainly can." Alex assured her knowing why Amelia turned to her. Amelia nodded before going over to closet to the right of the desk. Entering the closet, she pulled out with a coat in her hands before handing it reluctantly to Jake.

With the coat now in his hands, Alex and Jake shared a look before Alex nodded. Jake looked back at the coat in his hands before his eyes glowed a violet color. The coat in his hands glowed purple lightly. Amelia could see the change in his eyes but not the coat like Alex and Jake could. The violet glowing surrounding the coat steadily turn to a maroon color. The glow shimmered before spreading all over the office and the people in it. Jake closed his eyes and focused.

The glow continued past the study and the house. It continued much further than Amelia would've believed if she could see it. The maroon glow washed over all of London even extending as far as all over the United Kingdom. It washed over people and buildings but only people with godly blood, descendants and clear-sighted mortals could see it.

When the wave washed over Liverpool, it continued going through each and every building, over every person. The wave reached a manor on the outskirts of Liverpool, when it passed over a person they glowed maroon causing the wave to stop. It had located the person with the same magical signature as the one Jake found on the coat.

Jake's eyes opened and the violet glow faded from his eyes as the maroon wave faded all around the country. "Liverpool. North Outskirts. Free Grove Estate." He said looking at Alex. She nodded before walking over to Amelia and grabbing her arm before the two disappeared in a column of blue fire.

Upon landing Amelia stumbled slightly setting her hand on the wall to her left to steady herself. She turned to look at Alex and her eyes widened. Alex now had a quiver of arrows on her back along with dao swords and was wearing black tight combat pants and a black fitting leather jacket that was zipped halfway up with a hood connected and a navy-blue domino mask laying around her neck. (Imagine the season 3 arrow suit but in black and the hood is leather rather than cloth.) The mask wasn't on and the hood was down but Amelia could only imagine what someone could think having someone pointing an arrow at you wearing that.

A piece of paper appeared in Alex's hand in a wisp of fire along with a pen. She scrabbled a note, before it disappeared again.

"What was that?" Amelia asked curiously. Alex turned her head to face Amelia.

"Note to Harry. Letting him know to move forward." Alex said she started walking forward.

"Move forward with what?" Amelia responded eyes narrowed. She hadn't heard about this part of the plan.

"Right about now, I imagine Harry's raising some hell with whatever prank he's pulling."

 _Hogwarts_

After using a quick Tempus charm and seeing the time. Harry put his hand under the Ravenclaw table in the Great Hall and waited. A minute later, he felt a paper in his hand. Pulling his hand out, he read it.

 _Time to Raise Hell Kid_

Looking up from the nod, Harry sent a nod to Luna allowing her time to put ear plugs in. Harry did the same before giving a flick of his concealed wand.

Suddenly everyone's voice in the hall was amplified and all in different languages. There were at least ten different languages all being spoken all curtsey of Harry and Luna.

It didn't take people long to realize that they couldn't understand what the person they were talking to was saying. To themselves it sounded like they were talking English when they really weren't.

The sudden influx in noise sent the staff into a frenzy trying to solve the problem and calm hysterical students. While Luna and Harry just sat and continued eating and talking, though they spoke in a language they both understood, French to make it seem like they were affected as well but just removed the amplification charm.

 _Liverpool, Free Grove Estate_

"Do I even want to know?" Amelia questioned looking sideways at Alex.

"Even if you did, I couldn't tell you. I have no idea what the kid planned." Alex admitted with a grin. "Either way, we have our own things to attend to. Search the manor." Alex ordered before walking down the hall that was lit only by that of the light from the windows.

As Alex continued down the hall, she lifted the domino mask and placed it over her face and set the hood into place as well and a bow appeared in a torrent of flames in her hand.

Walking down the hall the first door was on her left. Switching the bow from her left hand to her right she opened the door and scanned the room. Nothing. It continued like this for the rest of the rooms down the hall and then again with the next hall.

This process continued until there was a locked door in one of the halls. Stepping back, she kicked forward forcing the door open.

Stepping into the room, there was a serious computer setup. It was six monitors, three rows with two in each, one on top of the other. They were all on and displaying different things.

Approaching the setup, Alex got a better look at what exactly the monitors were displaying. On each monitor was footage from different security cameras. On one of the screens, Alex could see Amelia walking down a hall. All of them were in different places all over the manor.

Suddenly four of the screens went black before a new view was divided equally over the four making up the footage. At the same time the door to the room slammed close causing Alex to spin around, arrow nocked in the bow pointing at the door. Seeing no one, Alex lowered the bow and turned back to the screens.

It was of an all-white room, there was a chandelier hanging in the center of the ceiling.

On the other two screens, one continued to follow Amelia while the other blacked out before words started appearing on it.

 _See that white room? He was there. You didn't think we'd make it that easy did you?_

The words fading and seconds later more appeared.

 _Oh wait, you thought it was Dumbledore, didn't you? Yeah, I'll admit that was pretty clever of us huh? Well no it wasn't Dumbledore._ Alex's eyes widened in realization. It was a trick.

The writing faded just as it had before and just as before more appeared.

 _Ah I can see you're shocked, well I guess we can't really because of the hood but anyway. And really? Wearing your Chaser gear? We told you Alex, 15 years ago. You'd be joining this war. Time to live up to that. So, you have three options._ Alex frowned under the hood. They could see her. Her eyes lifted from the screen to the corners of the room quickly. Out of the corner of her eye she could see a camera in the right corner of the room. Her eyes narrowed and was tempted to shoot it out but decided to leave it for a bit.

 _Your first choice. You leave this room right now, and go find Madam Bones and tell her of this whole thing and the truth._ The writing appeared. Alex knew this option was out of the question.

 _Secondly, you stay and listen to what we have to say. Do this and we'll tell you where to find Sirius._ Same as always it faded. More appeared but it wasn't the final option like Alex expected it to be.

 _See we don't believe it's time for anyone else to know the truth yet. This message is for you, all of this has been a message for you. Have you found the meaning yet? I think you have. Don't worry you don't have to say it. Just remember it._ This time when the text disappeared it was quickly replaced.

 _The final option, we tell you where Sirius is. On one condition, you lie about how you knew to Madam Bones, to everyone. You see Alex, we know what you're capable of. You're second to only Chaos. You're one of the most powerful masters since their creation. You are powerful yes, you're also an extraordinary liar, but there are just some things that you can't hide, aren't there? At least not from us._ Alex's jaw clenched.

 _Don't worry. Those secrets, are secrets we find are best not to be revealed. At least not now. They are much like us, we don't feel it's time for others to know, but one day they will Alex. However, little you want them to. So, what's it going to be? It's really simple when you think about it and we promise to live up to our word._

"What do you know?" Alex demanded, hand clenching around the bows grip.

 _I think you already know the answer to that._ Came the answer. If text could be condescending this was definitely condescending.

"If you know as much about me as you say then you know that I don't do others dirty work." Alex snapped.

 _You have in the past. You do if it's for a reason you deem good enough, and I would say this seems like a pretty good reason._

"Fine." Alex ground out, clearly not happy. "Where is he?" She demanded. Text didn't appear with an answer but the four screens that were displaying the white room all faded to view a different cameras footage. It was a room exactly the same as the white one the only difference was it was navy blue and black. The camera that had been following Amelia shifted to show the outside of the room and a map showing where it was in relevance to the rest of the manor.

 _Open the drawer._ Text appeared on the screen. Following the instruction, Alex opened the drawer that was directly under the tabletop of the desk. Inside was a paper version of the map, there was a circle for where they were right now and a X for where Sirius was.

"You knew what I'd chose." Alex realized.

 _We had a prediction yes, but we've learned that you can be very unpredictable… even for us. Now, we've lived up to our end of the agreement, now it's time for you to live up to yours._ The screens all reverted back to how they were when Alex first entered the room and the door opened. The only screen that wasn't the same was the one that was following Amelia.

Alex give one last look at the computers before swiftly turning on her heel and leaving the room. Making her way through the maze of corridors using the map, Alex eventually rounded a corner and came up behind Amelia. Giving the map one last looked she put the map inside of the half-zipped leather jacket, Alex approached Amelia.

"Follow me." She ordered as she walked past Amelia. Amelia's eye brows furrowed in confusion but she followed anyway.

"You know where he is?" Amelia questioned as they rounded several corners and walked down a series of different hallways.

"Yes." Alex answered shortly, before stopping in front of a door. "Here." Alex placed her hand on the door knob and twisted opening the door to reveal…

* * *

 _ **To reveal the end of the chapter. Yup, that's all for this week folks, hope you enjoyed. But you did get some pretty vital things revealed as this mystery unravels even more. Who is this new person/group/foe and what do they know?**_

 _ **As always, happy reading! See ya next chapter! -DS**_


	11. Uncovering The Past

**_Hey everyone! Hope you're doing alright and that your week has been going good, because it's time for the latest chapter. Today we find out what the door opened to reveal…_**

 ** _Psych! It's a flashback chapter. Don't hate me?_**

 _Flashback_

* * *

 ** _How It Should've Been_**

 ** _Chapter 10: Uncovering the Past_**

 _"Alex?" Jake asked shocked at seeing her as he entered her apartment. "What are you still doing here?"_

 _"Where else would I be?" Alex looked up from the notebook curious._

 _"Oh, I don't know, maybe with your nephew?" Jake suggested sarcastically._

 _Sighing, Alex closed the notebook and stared at him. "Look, here is where I'm needed right now. A girl is missing, and we have absolutely no idea where to look. And aside from that? I'm a Chaser now. So, it's best I don't get wrapped up in my nephew's life. All it will lead to is… hurt. Okay?"_

 _"No, it's not okay! Yes, you are a Chaser now. And no maybe that isn't ideal to do that and be around him, but Alex. You can't let that control your life." Jake argued arms crossed._

 _"I made a deal-" She started._

 _"Okay yes! You made a deal. You made a deal with Hades and she's alive because of it, and you're a Chaser for the next fifteen years. But Alex! That doesn't automatically mean you can't be there for your nephew." Jake cut her off._

 _"Yes, it does! I don't want him to know what I do Jake!" Alex burst out loudly._

 _"He doesn't have to. Just be there for him when you can be. Yes, sometimes you will have to leave and go be a Chaser. But the times you aren't? You should be there. Not here." He reasoned._

 _"Jake this is my home. I think I'm allowed to be here."_

 _"Not the point." He remarked dryly. "The point is, well you may not want him to know, and maybe he never will. But the day she remembers and walks back into his life, he's going to ask questions and expect answers, answers that she can't give."_

 _"Exactly! I'll have to give them!" Alex exclaimed._

 _"And if you really cared about the fact that, that day would come. You never would've made that deal." Jake retorted._

 _"I made the deal because no one should have to grow up like that." Alex bit out._

 _"He already will. You made the deal for you. Not him." Jake argued._

 _"Fine! Maybe I did. Maybe it was my fault she died! Did you think of that? Huh?" Alex exclaimed, hands facedown leaning on the desk._

 _"Alex-" He started, face full of surprise._

 _"I was supposed to be there that night. Originally. But I wasn't because I was caught up in my own world. So yeah. Maybe I did do it for me. Because if I had been there… none of it would've happened." She sighed._

 _"You don't know that." Jake reasoned._

 _"Yes, I do! If I was there, he would be dead and they would be alive!" Alex exploded slamming her hands down on the desk, looking at Jake eyes flashing with power. It was a look he had seen before but never had to actually face. He knew Alex was more powerful than she ever let on around the gods. He knew there was reason for that. Jake also knew that Masters of Elements were not people to be handled lightly, and just as rarely as their creation was their passing. Most Masters vanished off the face of the Earth rather than ever die._

 _"You said you were caught up in your own world. What does that mean?" Jake questioned, bringing the conversation back. Alex looked down for a second before looking back up at him, directly in the eye._

 _"We were on outs. We fought and I don't even know why. I was trying to make it right. But I got caught up doing a favor for Hestia." Alex admitted._

 _"How would you not know why?" Jake ask quizzically._

 _"You know I can be an ass." She paused when he nodded and sent him a look. "But this was different, I didn't do anything. At least not that I know of and… okay so one day about three weeks ago, I was there and we were talking. Nothing spectacular was happening but out of nowhere she stood and started yelling at me. It was out of nowhere, I didn't remember doing anything to trigger it and what she was apparently so angry about, were things she couldn't even have known." She explained._

 _"What?" Jake questioned shaking his head._

 _"She-she called me cold-blooded. That with everything I did… that I never trusted anyone or paid attention to how everything affected anyone around me." She answered as she lowed into the desk chair. Jake was standing still, not moving in shock._

 _"Okay I'll admit, some of your choices are questionable. And you are one of the people that prefer to take care of problems on their own. That's just who you are being a Master. It's how you've always been. But I do believe that everything, everything you've done is no more than questionable and in line with the circumstances." He paused as he moved to grab a spare chair and sit across from Alex. "That's why you made the deal isn't it?" He wondered._

 _Resting her hand beside her mouth with her elbow on the desk, she answered. "It is, and I've been trying to make it seem like it isn't. I go through all the reasons in my head. How it can be just as justified doing it for him. But, in all honestly, I know I did it for me. I lie, and I hide things from people I say I'm trying to protect. But really, I just don't want to have to answer to anyone else or be questioned. Me taking that deal, was me trying for once in my life to not be selfish. But guess I was anyway." She chuckled humorlessly._

 _Sighing Jake shook his head. "Yes, Alex you are those things, but I will be the first to admit I am as well. Alex, yes, your reasons may have been selfish, but what you did wasn't. You choose to become a Chaser to save her. And she may not remember anything now, but in fifteen years she will and she will be able to see her son. You're giving her that chance to begin with, it just may take a little while. But you, are giving them the chance to know each other. No matter what reasons you initially did it for. You offered to be a Chaser for fifteen years for her to live." Jake reasoned. Alex shook her head._

 _"No, Hades has been trying to get me to be a Chaser for the past year or so. I just finally accepted on the condition that he send her straight to rebirth, let her keep the same appearance and in fifteen years' time, remember who she truly is."_

 _"How did you get him to accept that?" Jake questioned amazed._

 _"I was finally accepting his offer. Which, is something he would do anything for. But he insisted on the fifteen years' time thing. Said it had to be that way." Alex answered, eyes drifting to the book sitting on the right top corner of the desk._

 _"Who else knows about the deal?" Jake wondered, drawing Alex attention back._

 _"Well you, Hades, me, and that's it. He thought it be best that the rest of the Olympians didn't know." She remarked._

 _"I can see why." He commented causing Alex to look at him questionably with a cocked eyebrow. "Oh c'mon! You're Hades' Chaser! I doubt they'd ever admit it, but I think the thought of you ever choosing a side that doesn't favor all of them, strikes a bit of fear into some hearts. That is… if they actually have one." He smirked at the last sentence._

 _"Okay good-" She grinned, shook her head and chuckled. "Good point."_

 _"So, you are going to go back." He stated, not really asking._

 _"Jake-" She was cut off._

 _"You are going to go back. You may not be able to always be there but be there when you can be." Jake interrupted firmly not hearing any of it._

 _Nodding she answered, "Alright, fine you win."_

 _"Well then I see my work here is done." He laughed as he stood and turned to the door. When he was about to leave the room, he turned back._

 _"Didn't they have a painting made?" He asked curiously, there was something he just couldn't shake._

 _"Yeah, why?" Alex asked confused._

 _"You talk to it?" Jake continued._

 _"Yeah. Jake what?"_

 _"Did you try to talk about the argument or whatever then?" He pushed. Alex's eye brows furrowed._

 _"I did. She wouldn't hear it, didn't even know what I was talking about. Trust me it was weird." Alex continued, answering what would've been his next question. Jake frowned slightly._

 _"Strange. Right well, um I'll see you." He bid her goodbye, leaving the room and apartment, also leaving a slightly confused Alex behind staring after him._

 _Shaking her head, Alex stood grabbed her leather jacket from the back of the chair and disappeared in small arcs of electricity._

 _Reappearing in the foyer to the Potter Home in New Zealand, Alex called out. "Sirius? Sirius, you here?" She called out. Sirius came into the foyer from an angle out of her eye sight._

 _"You came back?" He asked amazed from the left and diagonal behind her, drawing her attention causing her to turn to face him._

 _"Uh, yeah. I know you said not to bu-"_

 _"Thank you." He cut her off. Her mouth opened slightly in surprise before closing it and nodding._

 _They may not have trusted one another yet, nor did they know much about the other, but what they did know was if they wanted to manage to make it through this they would have to work together. Even if that meant accepting things they didn't like, because in that moment, that exchange, they formed a silent agreement._

 _Granted, that didn't mean that it was one that was never broken, because it definitely was at least once._

* * *

 ** _It's a bit shorter than usual I know, just as the last flashback chapter. Sorry! These just always manage to come out like that. I also just realized this chapter is legit like almost all dialogue. Wow. Well, thank you for all of the support. I hope you enjoyed and see ya next chapter! -DS_**


	12. Calm Before The Storm

**_Thank you for all of the support and enjoy!_**

* * *

 ** _How It Should've Been_**

 ** _Chapter 11: Calm Before The Storm_**

 _Still Monday_

The door was opened to reveal the navy room from the screen. Alex entered the threshold arrow drawn and bow aimed. She took slow steps into the room as Amelia entered behind her.

There was a bed against the right wall, and Alex could see there was a person lying in it. Taking a quick glance at Amelia, Amelia moved past Alex as the pair went over to the side of the bed, Alex pointing the drawn bow at the figure while Amelia directed her wand at the blankets before using a levitation charm to pull the sheets off the person and in seconds said person shot up into a crouching position on the bed.

It took a few seconds for the person to register what was happening and in just about the same amount of time Amelia realized who it was.

"Amelia?" Sirius wondered slightly shaken. Amelia's eye took on a certain softness.

"Sirius." She greeted with a small smile. Sirius's gaze turned to Alex who had lowered the bow and removed the arrow from the nock.

"Alex, wha-" He started and Alex immediately knew what he was going to say.

"Oh, don't play stupid with me. We both know you wanted me to find her." Alex cut him off. "I'll leave you to the reunion." She finished before turning and exiting the room, leaving Sirius and Amelia alone. Amelia grabbed Sirius's forearm and Sirius stepped off the bed and the pair looked at one another awkwardly.

"How'd you find me?" Sirius questioned with Amelia's hand still resting on his forearm.

"It was actually Alex that found you. Honestly, I don't even know why she came to me for help in the first place. Her friend found the house and she found you here in the room, which I still don't know how she did by the way." Amelia admitted causing Sirius to smile slightly at the last part.

"If it's one thing I know about Alex, it's that if she doesn't want you to know something, you won't. You will only see as far as she wants you to. Bloody annoying. So how have you been?" Sirius questioned trying to ease the pliable tension between them.

Amelia bit back a sarcastic remark before settling on, "Well. And you?" Sirius raised an eyebrow clearly noticing her lack of remark.

"As well as someone can be after being held against their will. You know, the usual." Sirius grinned. Amelia sent him a look.

"Sirius-" She started exasperated.

"Amelia, I cannot do this here." He sighed.

"Yes, can you not?" Alex remarked as she reentered the room. "Now if you've finished your awkward ass reunion, can we go now?" She finished. The duo turned to look at her. The hood and domino mask may have been down but it still seemed like they were seeing a mask. Her face held no emotion, while her eyes held slight annoyance at having to stay any longer in the house than necessary. Sirius and Alex's eyes met and he nodded.

"Yeah, yeah we can go." His voice devoid of its usual wit. Amelia removed her hand from his arm and walked past him before brushing past Alex, leaving the room. Alex looked after her but not moving from her spot by the door. Her eyes shifted to Sirius and raised an eyebrow in question, he sighed and he his jaw clenched for a second before he met Alex's eyes.

"It's fine. Just um- let's just go." He started walking towards the door but as he was about to pass Alex, she grabbed his arm and stopped him heading turning to look at him.

"Why'd you really want me to find her?" Alex questioned looking Sirius in the eyes looking for any form of an answer.

"I don't know." He admitted before slipping past and out of the room. Alex looked around the room one last time before looking to the camera in the far-left corner of the room and staring directly at it for a few moments before turning and leaving the room, closing the door behind her.

They arrived back at Potter Home, curtesy of Alex. Excusing herself, Alex went to her own study. Each of the houses occupants had their own study, bedroom and ensuite, with the study and bedroom being connected by a personal small living room area. Alex entered the door to her own study grabbing a paper before writing a quick note to Harry and sending it off in a flurry of flames.

Changing quickly into her more normal attire, black or grey slim jeans, a slim t-shirt and either a racer leather jacket or a bomber jacket, Alex left the room making her way to Sirius's study. The door was mostly closed and she was about to push it open and enter when she heard talking. Moving to the wall next to the door, Alex listened in.

"I don't know why you wanted Alex to find me Sirius but it doesn't matter. We both have much more complicated lives now and people who depend on us. We can't be those people anymore and we can't go back."

"No matter how much we want to." Sirius paused, taking a deep breath. "But we don't have to go back. Why can't we just try again now with us as who we are now? We're the same people!" Sirius argued trying to reason with her.

"But we aren't Sirius. We haven't been in a long time. And… honestly, you may still be that person, I don't know. That's the thing, I don't know." She paused, Sirius opened his mouth but she cut him off before a sound could escape it. "But I do know that I'm not that person. This isn't the time for this, and there may never be. I'm sorry. I'm glad your safe. And I'm glad you have someone to look out for you." Alex could hear the finality in her voice marking the end to the conversation and quickly moved behind the corner to be hidden from view as the door opened fully and Amelia hurried out walking down the hall and the stairs leaving the house.

* * *

 _Hogwarts_

It took the staff of Hogwarts exactly 59 minutes to cancel the effects of Harry's prank. Which if one more minute had pasted the effects would've worn off themselves. They sent everyone to their dorms after everyone was assured that it just seemed like a harmless prank.

Harry, upon entering his dorm, spotted a note laying on his bed. Walking over, he picked it up and read it.

 _No problems and Padfoot is back to his rightful place. Looking forward to hearing what kind of hell you caused at RoR/H at N/SAT. -Alex_

Harry smiled and was able to fully relax for the first time since Sirius "left". Grinning to himself, Harry put the note into his trunk and shut it seconds before the door opened.

"Ryder?" Came a voice drawing Harry's attention to the door to see Hermione peeking into the half-opened door.

"Hey yeah come in." He greeted as she entered the dorm and shut the door behind her before slowly approaching him, stopping a few feet away.

"I wanted to say I'm sorry." At his confused looked she continued. "For how I acted with Luna earlier. It was uncalled for to act like that when you have no idea why." She apologized.

"Yeah, she-she explained everything to me. I wish I would've known, I wouldn't have sprung it on you like that."

"There was no way you could've." She assured him as she came to stand closer, leaning against the corner of his bed while crossing her arms.

"I hope it's not going to be cause any issues between us? Me being friends with her too." He clarified at her curious look. Her face showed her understanding.

"No, no it's fine. Who your friends with is your business. And I'll try to be civil with her." Hermione promised with a small smile.

"Thank you. I appreciate that." Harry smiled. "Anyway, it's probably good that you weren't in the Hall for dinner, with what happened."

"I heard about that. Everyone was amplified and speaking at least ten different languages, right?" She recalled from what she'd heard on her way back from the library.

"Yeah, so you kinda dodged a bullet with that one. Took the staff forever to fix it, it wasn't that bad once Luna and I just removed the amplification from ourselves."

"You understood what language the others got?" Hermione questioned incredulously looking at him with raised eyebrows.

"We got lucky, we both had French and thankfully we both already speak the language so, it wasn't too bad." Harry answered, Hermione nodded absently thinking.

"Well, I have something to finish up before bed, I'll see you tomorrow Ryder. Goodnight." Hermione started moving towards the door.

"Night." Harry replied as she opened the door and left. She was leaving wondering even more about the mystery that was Ryder Cage.

* * *

 _Potter Home, London_

Once she knew it was all clear, Alex moved from her spot against the wall. The door to the study was open and Sirius hadn't seen her standing there so she knocked on the door frame. His head shot up from where it was resting on his hand.

"Hey." Alex entered the room slowly. "How you doing?" She questions quietly. Sirius leaned back in his chair and looked down at his hands before looking back up and answering.

"I'm alright." And at Alex's look he sighed and continued. "I'll will be. I just can't get over how easy it seemed. You found me in two days, not even fully. It just seems weird." Sirius shrugged.

"Yeah I know what you mean. But I guess we just take it as a blessing, that it was that easy. You know?" Alex tried to steer the conversation away. It wasn't difficult, lying about it. It was something Alex was used to doing with someone or another about something or another.

"Yeah, yeah you're right." He nodded in acceptance. "Hey, um, thanks for finding me."

"Anytime." Alex grinned as she turned and made her way back to the door but before completely leaving the room she addressed him again. "Oh, and hey, you're coming with me to see Harry Saturday. So, since it's Monday, you have four days to get back to your normal self. Noon!" Alex called as she left the room. Chuckling, Sirius picked up the picture that was sitting on his desk that Amelia left there. It was the one he put into the book. One of the things over the years that he looked at in hope of one day finding his way back to her again.

"Guess not." He frowned with sad eyes as he opened one of the drawers in his desk and set the picture in the drawer on top of a stack of pictures. Sighing he stood and turned to the accent shelf that was under the window behind the desk. It held a stack of books at on the right end and few glasses and a bottle of scotch on the left. The letter from before was sitting in the center, he picked up the letter he wrote to Alex and Harry before. He just couldn't shake the feeling that something bigger was coming, and this was just the start of it.

Thunder sounded from a distance which drew Sirius's attention. Looking up just in time to see several bolts of lightning fluttering across the darkened sky. This was the calm before the storm, that Sirius knew.

* * *

 _ **Feedback is always appreciated and I'll see ya next chapter! Hope you enjoyed! Happy Reading! -DS**_


	13. Not About Trust, It's Who You Are

_**Enjoy!**_

* * *

 _ **How It Should've Been**_

 _ **Chapter 12: Not About Trust, It's Who You Are**_

 _Wednesday_

Alex stormed up that stairs before ripping open the door the Sirius's study.

"Okay, what the hell is wrong with your mopey ass?" Alex demanded entering the office clearly pissed.

"What're you talking about?" Sirius questioned looking up from the book he was reading.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. For the past two days! Two days! You have not left this house, the only time you even leave your room is to come here. So, I repeat what the hell is wrong with you? You've been back two days! There have been no pranks, nothing, nada. And you barely say a word." She vented. Sirius sat back in his chair.

"Alex, I don't know what you want me to say? Nothing's wrong. I've just been set on finding out more." Sirius tried.

"You know you're a shitty lair." Alex remarked bluntly with no preamble.

"Excuse me?" Sirius frowned and furrowed his brow.

"Fine, I'm not mad that you have apparently become a hermit. I'm mad that this got sent to the house, through the damn mail along with just about a dozen others because apparently you're not accepting owls!" Alex lifted her arm and Sirius could see she was holding a letter or more specifically it was a letter from Hogwarts. It took him a few seconds to remember why it mattered before he sighed audibly.

"I had a meeting with Minerva." He groaned. "I blew it off, crap."

"Yes, you did and now she is blowing up the mail. So, thanks for that." Alex commented dryly. "So, this whole, mopey kick. Is it because of something Amelia said? Or maybe the fact that you aren't together? Because I really can't figure out which." Alex questioned. Sirius stood, closing the book and walking out from behind the desk and over to Alex.

Stopping beside her, he answered. "Neither. And maybe you should just stay out of my business." Taking the letter, he began to walk past her and out of the room but stopped when Alex called out.

"You know just because you're lying to me doesn't mean you should start lying to yourself. And maybe you should stop being a jackass while you're at it." She suggested, stopping him in his tracks and causing him to turn around.

"You know you call me a shitty lair, and maybe that's true. But one of the things I've never been bad at is observations. Amelia had no idea how you found me and frankly neither did I. You are an incredible lair, always have been. You've also always been good at hiding anything you don't want people to know. But I know something more happened at that manor. Amelia so much as told me that. Oh, and I also found this." He took a paper out of his pocket. Alex's eyes went to it to see it was the map of the manor. "I have known you for fifteen years, and I have found out a lot about you. But something tells me, that whole time, I was only seeing as much as you wanted me to." Sirius remarked.

"I thought we moved past the not trusting me thing a long time ago." Alex snapped.

"It's not about not trusting, it's about wanting to know what's really going on." Sirius retorted. Alex moved and walked up directly in front of to the side of him.

"You're right. There are a lot of things you don't know. Trust me when I say this, you're better off that way. So, let it go." She went to move past him when his grabbed her arm as she was beside him and looked her in the eyes.

"That just makes me want to keep going even more." Sirius narrowed his eyes. Alex ripped her arm his grasp, leaned in and looked him dead in the eye.

"Be careful whose secrets you find. Because you'll find that some are better left untouched. Remember that, because I might not always be there to protect your ass." Alex moved and past him and was out of the room when he called out.

"I never said I needed you to." He called out, she stopped standing in the hall but didn't turn around.

"You didn't have to." And with that she turned down the hall leaving Sirius standing in the middle of his office.

He was still holding the map in his hand. While Sirius would've liked to say that he just found it on Alex's desk in her study when he was looking for her earlier, he couldn't. Sirius went specifically looking for something, anything in Alex's area of the house. Amelia told him that she had no idea how Alex knew where he was. So that left the only explanation that something more happened in that manor than Amelia knew about.

Sirius had so wanted to give Alex the benefit of the doubt. He knew her for the past fifteen years. They worked together and helped one another raising the last remaining connection to Lily and James. Sirius had every reason to trust her, right? But it was just something that he couldn't shake. That something more was going on and that it was too easy.

That this was all just a show, he just couldn't figure out for what or why. And he wanted to just ask Alex about it, about the map, but he knew that even after fifteen years. She would lie to him, tell him something that she would twist so perfectly that it would be an altered version of the truth while still being far enough away from the truth to still be a lie. It's what Alex was best at, and he almost always would believe it. There was only ever once where he didn't. And it was because he knew the truth before the confrontation. He watched her lie so easily that it didn't even take any hesitation or faze her in the slightest. Yet he always trusted her.

He still did. Trust wasn't the problem anymore. He knew that whatever was happening, Alex would work it out in the end. That Alex would do whatever it takes in the end and Harry would never become collateral. That wasn't how Alex worked, that wasn't how anybody from her world did. Everything measured, even when you didn't think it could be and no love lost over any fallen enemies.

That was the one of the many things they always disagreed on. Sirius didn't believe in just because they're on the other side they should die. He believed that they should just be detained and face justice. Alex believed that any end should be met and that there should never be a loose end that could easily come back to kick them in the ass, in covering all bases. That in war, everything was on the table.

Maybe that's why James and Lily were dead, because Dumbledore refused to fight fire with fire. Maybe they would still be alive if they were willing to do whatever needed. There really was no telling, because they couldn't go back and change it.

Since he met Alex and learned more of who she was, he tried to have a more open view point. To not be narrow-minded and to make an effort to understand why extremes were sometimes necessary.

It was that lesson that he held with him when he searched Alex's room. She once told him that 'there are people in the world that deal in only extremes, and it would be naïve to think that they can be dealt with in anything short of extreme measures' and she was right. Voldemort was one of those people, a person that was extreme and couldn't be stopped by just detaining him. No matter what Dumbledore believed, he wasn't someone that could be changed.

So, standing in his study, Sirius made a split second decision and left the room before moving to the library parlor downstairs. When they moved into the house Sirius placed James and Lily's painting above the fireplace in the room, when Alex moved in she brought over a magical painting of just Lily, and that was the one he needed to speak to, Lily wasn't above the fireplace but rather above the desk at the far left of the room.

Entering the room, Sirius moved to stand in front of Lily's portrait before taking a deep breath and casting the reanimation spell on the portrait. It was the first time he was ever just speaking to Lily. The portrait came alive.

"Sirius?"

"It's me Lily. I need your help with something." Sirius stated. Lily nodded, gesturing for him to continue. "So, it's been fifteen years since that night. And I've known Alex all fifteen of them, but it feels like she is keeping something important from me. And it's something I need to know, see I was kidnapped -kind of- and she and Amelia came to rescue me, they split up and then Alex came back to Amelia and led her to a room. The one I was in. Amelia had no idea how she knew which one." He took a deep breath. "So, I searched her rooms here a- don't give me that look." He protested when Lily raised an eyebrow. "Anyway, and I found a map of the manor where I was being kept and I just- there is more to this, I just don't know what. I know Alex wouldn't do anything to hurt me or Harry, but it just feels like there's more coming." Sirius finished with a sigh. Lily looked thoughtful taking in the story and thinking.

"I'll warn you Sirius my answer may not be one that you like." Lily warned and when Sirius didn't protest she continued. "Alex as you know does keep quite a few secrets. Always has, and probably always will. Now granted it's been fifteen years and there are probably more of them and they are probably more dangerous and bigger than back then but one thing will never change. Alex never does anything without a reason. There is no secret without a reason it's kept hidden. Some are better kept hidden, some debatable. But the fundamental doesn't change. If it feels like there is more coming, there more than likely is, and just as likely is that Alex knows more about it. Trust me when I tell you this Sirius, if Alex wants it hidden it's for a good reason, whether to just her or not. So, you can dig all you want but either you won't find anything or you will find things Alex can't protect you from." Lily finished.

"You know she said the same thing. About not being able to protect me if I kept going. I don't get it. What's so dangerous and why the hell would I even need protection from her? I never asked for it." Sirius argued beginning to pace in front of the portrait.

"You asked for it the moment you met Alex. You just didn't know it. We may have dark lords, blood supremacy, a corrupt justice system and what is basically a cult but Alex's world? That one has, an actual hell, monsters, Titans, Giants, angry gods, real and deadly prophecies, and even more that I don't know about to list. And who the hell knows what else. There are a lot of things she could protect you from and a lot she couldn't if you keep going. I get that you're worried and you have every right to be after being kind of kidnapped. But Sirius, just trust Alex, these are the times you need to hold your dearest closest. So, don't do something you two can't come back from." Lily finished.

"You're right. Thank you." Sirius looked at Lily with a smile. It was times like these that he missed them more than anything.

"Anytime. Now if you please." She smiled and gestured around her. He nodded and ended the spell.

* * *

 _New York_

"Remember that baby girl that we couldn't find fifteen years ago. Name was Luna?" Alex ask with no preamble as she entered the Jake's apartment not bothering to knock.

"You know I could've been naked or busy for all you knew." Jake commented dryly as he entered the room.

"You weren't, were you?" Alex shot back as she turned and closed the turn before turning back to face him.

"What would you have done if I was?" Jake asked exasperated.

"Said sorry?" She suggested only to receive an incredulous look. She shrugged, shaking his head in disbelief, Jake walked over to his fridge and opened it.

"Yes, I remember, why?" Jake grabbed a drink out of the fridge before closing it and leaning back against it.

"Found the kid." Alex grinned as she walked over to the island the was opposite the fridge and sat at a stool.

"Seriously?" He exclaimed kicking off the door and moving to stand opposite her.

"Uh huh. At least from what I've been able to dig up I have. She's a witch, but I think we both know she didn't start out that way. This girl also is a partial." Alex continued.

"What'd you find?" Jake gestured hurriedly for her to continue. Raising her hand, a file appears out of file in it. Setting it on the counter, she spun it around to face Jake before opening it.

"She was taken from the woman you went to search. By Hecate. Then blessed with magic, and given to the Lovegoods, who were at the time trying to have a child but couldn't. That's where she's been. Harry and I ran into her at Diagon Alley say about three weeks before the first. We ran away, she chased and we ended up in a heap in our living room. She's also the only one that knows who Harry really is at Hogwarts."

"Only you two would have that luck to run into her on that random day." Jake shook his head in amazement.

"And apparently she's got this friends family member who is a master. She said he taught her to control her powers." Alex revealed. Jake straightened.

"Have you found him? Or anything about him?" He demanded, Alex just shook her head in response.

"Still looking. But that's not the only reason I'm here." She admitted. Jake's eyebrows furrowed.

"What happened?" He asked cautiously.

"Remember how you helped me find Sirius?" Jake nodded but stayed silent. Taking it for a sign to continue, Alex explained, "So we found him. But that signature that looked like he was fighting a spell and trying to leave a clue. Yeah well, it was meant to be like that, Dumbledore isn't the one who did it. That letter from over fifteen years ago, it's that. It's starting." Alex revealed causing Jake's eyes to go wide.

"I'm guessing they told you not to tell anyone. Even if they didn't I doubt you even told Sirius. But Alex, this could mean so many things, shouldn't he be warned?" Jake wondered in worry. Alex shook her head.

"I can't. He's already digging, and besides, they gave me three options at the manor, I chose the third. It was the best of them. They tell me Sirius was in the manor and I would lie to Amelia, anyone who asked how I found it. Jake, they know." She sounded grave on the last sentence.

"Know what?" He wondered what they could know that would be so bad.

"About the deal I made fifteen years ago. Don't know how but they do. Said that just like my deal, they believe that something's are best hidden for now, including themselves. The whole thing, with Sirius and finding him, all of it. It was all just a part of sending me a message."

"Which is?"

"How easy it is to touch us."

"Their trying to scare you?"

"No. They want to show that it was all just a show. And it was only the beginning."

* * *

 _ **Okay, so no it's not that Sirius doesn't trust Alex. So, don't start with any of "wow, they've known each other for fifteen years and he still doesn't hesitate to question her." bs because that's not what it is. If you've ever been in a situation like this where you know someone's lying/hiding about something and you feel like something more is at play, you start questioning and wondering. Because it doesn't matter how long or how close you are with someone, if you want to get to the bottom of it and you find incriminating evidence you will start to question them at least a bit due to lacking pieces of the puzzle. He just needed a check from someone that knew Alex better than he does, reassurance.**_

 _ **Anyway, hope you enjoyed and I'll see you next time. Happy Reading! -DS**_


	14. Crisis In New York

**_Alright so, if I haven't made this clear this isn't a PJO/HP crossover. Now the reason I'm saying this is because there will be Camp Half-Blood in this chapter and probably in later chapters, but no character other than Chiron and the gods will be in this from that series. Remember, this takes place almost two decades earlier but the magic barrier will still be in place. Enjoy!_**

* * *

 ** _How It Should've Been_**

 ** _Chapter 13: Crisis In New York_**

 _Saturday – 11:25_

It had been another two days before Saturday came around. Two days in which Sirius didn't see Alex at all. He wasn't positive as to where she was as she didn't tell him but if he had to guess he would say New York.

Even so, if that was where she was Sirius wasn't exactly looking to go have another confrontation having already decided he would just show up Saturday in the Room where Harry, and Luna were meeting Alex. He had already cleared the use of her flop to get in with Minerva and he was going to go around the school with a disillusionment on since he couldn't just go straight to the Room as Alex could. He would be out of luck if they decided to ask the room for something other than what they normally did because then Sirius wouldn't have the slightest clue.

 _Meanwhile In NY_

"You have got to be shitting me!" Alex shouted in disbelief as twelve hellhounds and four Cyclopes started ascending Half-Blood hill. "What the hell is going on? There have been attacks all day!" She exclaimed as her and Jake moved closer to the perimeter.

"None have gotten through the barrier yet so that's a good thing." Jake tried to make light. Alex shot him a look just as there was a resounding crash that echo'd throughout the camp that drew everyone's attention to the monsters who had at this point slammed into where the barrier was and the barrier was shimmering.

"You just had to go and say something!" Alex remarked sarcastically. "That won't hold forever especially with the amount of attacks." She reminded him as they made their way to the Big House.

"We have to get all of the younger campers someplace safe because this sure as hell isn't." Jake commented as they jogged up the steps on the pouch of the Big House and opened the door, entering the house. Chiron turned at the sound of the door opening and closing. He was standing at the end of a research table that was surrounded by cabin councilors.

"Good you're here. Jake, your mother is in the war room wanting to speak to both you and Alex." Chiron informed them. Nodding, the duo made their way to said war room where all coordinated attacks were normally planned.

Entering the room through the already open door, they could see Hecate had her back to them and was looking at something on the desk.

"Mother." Jake called to get her attention as Alex closed the door behind them.

"Jake, Alex. Come." She beckoned over to the other side of the table so they were standing opposite her. "As you know, camp has been under attack all morning." Hecate started.

"No shit." Alex interrupted dryly earning a glare from Hecate.

"Well I'm here to tell you why. As you both are aware of the magical world this will make the most sense to you. You are both aware on the matter, but there is a dark wizard by the name of Lord Voldemort that is essentially a terrorist in the Magical Britains community."

"He was said to have been defeated fifteen years ago." Jake interjected glancing at Alex.

"Yes, by a one year old in the wreckage of a house, correct?" Hecate continued and Alex and Jake shared a look. "Your nephew if I remember correctly." She directed at Alex to receive a short nod in return. "As I thought. While the circumstances of his fall on mostly unknown that is neither here nor there. What is important is that he did not fall that night. At least not completely. He had safety measures in place such as horcrux's."

"Yeah, I got rid of them during the beginning of run as a Chaser." Alex assured her.

"Not all of them." Hecate countered. "There was one left unchecked. Nagini, a snake. Or more specifically his snake familiar. And now I fear he has returned with the help of a dark ritual and his servants." Hecate revealed gravely.

"Why didn't Hades tell me? Or send me to destroy that one?" Alex questioned angrily.

"You mustn't be mad at Hades. He more than likely didn't know at the time. Shortly after Tom "died" his horcrux's presence would've faded to a point where they would be nearly impossible to trace. That's why Hades was probably very urgent with you finding and destroying them as soon as possible but with that fact that Nagini is a living being thus containing another presence in the body. It would fade quicker. They still would tether Tom to this plane but until he came fully back they would be untraceable. Which, now he is back again. And building ranks, his death cult have sided with him again. But everything has been kept under wraps, they are gaining momentum." Hecate revealed.

"What about the attacks here? Why are they happening?" Jake questioned glancing at Alex, who was standing straight up, leaning with hands face down on the desk.

"Voldemort has joined forces with the Titan Atlas. Atlas has vowed revenge on the gods and Zeus after escaping his punishment. Rather than Atlas, Iapetus is currently holding up the sky after helping Atlas. So Atlas is responsible for the attacks." Hecate explained answering her sons question.

"So why now?" Alex inquired looking between Hecate and Jake. "What makes now the right time?"

"Shortly after Voldemort's return, new laws were suggested and passed by Albus Dumbledore. Laws that Tom more than likely believes will bring Harry Potter back to Britain. Which he believes will be the perfect time to strike both worlds. Tom may be crazy but he's not stupid, he's knows there is some connection between the worlds."

"So he's trying to make it so this world has its own problems and won't be able to help the wizarding world." Jake finished realizing what his mother was going towards. She nodded.

"It's because of the prophecy that both idiots believe is true. I've asked Apollo, it's not a fate filled prophecy, only way it comes true is self-fulfillment." Alex sighed.

"What's the prophecy again?" Jake questioned.

Alex tilted her head to the side in thought, "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..." She finished. Hecate looked thoughtful.

"Well Apollo is correct. It's more than likely made by a seer but of course, doesn't make it true nor Fate. Only prophecies by the Oracle of Delphi are fueled by the Fates, most in the wizarding world are self-fulfilling." Hecate admitted looking between Alex and Jake.

"So these idiots are fighting a war and because of a stupid ass prophecy Harry is stuck in the middle." Jake summed up. The other two nodded seconds before there was a loud bang and then the horn blew signaling an attack, whether it was a new one or the current one breaking through they were not sure. Wishing them luck, Hecate vanished leaving Alex and Jake hurrying out of the room and out of the Big House onto the porch where the camp councilor, Chiron and a few other young adults had rushed out to, to see what was going on.

People were screaming and running as the barrier dome that protected the camp fell allowing the attacking monsters to have free roam into the camp.

* * *

 _Back With Sirius_

Sirius looked at the clock as it read 11:55. Throwing flop powder into the fireplace in his office, Sirius stepped into the flames and disappeared with a a torrent of green fire.

Stepping out seconds later, he looked around to see himself in Minvera's office. Taking out his wand, he cast a quick disillusionment charm over himself before leaving the office and making his way to the seventh floor.

Reaching the end of a certain corridor on the seventh floor, Sirius walked back and forth in front of the wall three times wishing for the room he knew Harry, Alex and Luna always wished for. Sure enough, seconds later the door to the room appeared. Before entering he cast a quick Tempus to see it was exactly twelve.

Opening the door he entered the room before closing it behind him and disappeared. The noise from the door had drawn Harry and Luna's attention from where they were standing talking at the base of the few stairs that separate the door entrance way from the main it.

Seeing who it was, Harry, who actually looked like Harry for once, shot forward and wrapped Sirius in a tight hug. Chuckling at his enthusiasm, Sirius hugged him back just as tightly. After separating, Harry led him down the steps and into the main room. It was a huge room. In the left quarter that was closest to them, there was a fireplace and two navy couch's with a coffee table in front of them, a rug was under the coffee table and a clock was above the fireplace.

After greeting Luna, Sirius realized that Alex was no where to be seen. "Where's Alex?" He questioned confused at her absence. Harry's picked up a piece of paper from the coffee table and handed it to him. There was writing on it.

 _Having a bit of a crisis in NY. Can't make it. Sorry. Will explain more when I see you next. -Alex_

"Wonder what it is." Sirius wondered aloud, causing Harry to shrug.

"No clue. Anyway, since you're here do you want to here about the prank we pulled?" Harry questioned with a grin on his face.

"A prank?" Sirius clarified with a sparkle in his eye out of glee. Harry nodded eagerly. "Then hell yeah, why would you even have to ask such a thing!"

* * *

 _New York_

The councilors split into two groups, half running towards the monsters, and half running to help the younger campers get to safety. Some of the other campers that were also capable moved to fight the monsters. Alex and Jake joined the group of fighting campers each using their powers and weapons.

The fight didn't last all to long but ended with monster dust covering the ground and two wounded fighters while a few of the other campers were wounded trying to get away. The Apollo campers, were buzzing all around the med bay in the Big House trying to take care of any of the injured. The worst injury that wound up coming out of it was a claw wound from one of the hellhounds, but the Apollo campers assured the camper that they would be fine. No campers were fatally wounded and the camp councilors and leaders along with the Director and Chiron met in the Big House.

"Nobodies safe here anymore. Not with the barrier down and right now we have no idea when it'll be back up again, especially with the near constant attacks." Jake started as everyone stood around the research table with Chiron the the Director on either ends.

"He's right. But if we just send them home then it might cause more harm than good." One of councilors jumped in. A few others nodded in agreement.

"The best bet would probably be to send them to the haven in San Francisco." Alex interjected.

"She's right. We can't send them to the haven here in Manhattan since it's just apartments and there's no room for anyone that doesn't live there. The one in California offers more options for them, and if necessary even the one in Vancouver." Chiron agreed.

"The deities wouldn't be able to help or even find them in Canada." The councilor from the Hermes cabin argued.

"No but neither would the monsters. Getting as many campers as possible as far off the radar as possible is what's important. We have what, nearly a hundred campers? The haven on the west coast wouldn't have enough room from them all." Jake countered immediately shutting the councilor up.

"He's right." The Director agreed. "That's what's most important. Alex? Can you set up teams that can teleport campers away?" He questioned.

Nodding, Alex replied. "I'll see what I can do." She assured him.

"The rest of you, can you all organize the campers, have them somehow make communication with any families if they have them and then have them packed with what they need and ready?" The Director questioned before receiving nods around the table from all of them.

"Good, let's get this done and everyone out as soon as possible." Chiron dismissed.

It took nearly an hour and a half and one thwarted attack later but all of the campers were evacuated from the camp leaving only the demi-gods that came to help to return home to the Manhattan Haven.

By two o'clock Alex and Jake were back in Alex's apartment. Jake was sitting on one of the navy leather couches leaning back reading a file while Alex was sitting at her island on a laptop.

"So… Voldemort? We know he's back now. What are we going to do about it?" Jake questioned setting the folder down off the coffee table drawing Alex's attention from the laptop. Closing it, she turned on the stool to face him.

"He's not our problem right now. Atlas is." Alex sighed shifting on the stool.

"I know you don't believe that. Even if it's for the sole purpose that he's after your nephew." Jake moved from sitting on the couch to sitting on the end of the couch, facing Alex with his hands intertwined on his lap.

"You're right. I don't but how do I save two worlds that are both at the hands of whack jobs. It's been one day and Atlas already has us running to different parts of the country." Alex commented annoyed.

"It's what they want. For all of us to be too busy to help the wizarding world. That's why Voldemort is working with Atlas in the first place. But Alex, we both know that Atlas is only in it for the revenge. That's what makes him a perfect ally for Voldemort. He doesn't want anything from him." Jake reasoned as Alex nodded thoughtfully. "So, you still don't think it's time to warn Sirius?"

 _Sometime_ _Later_

Alex walked up the stairs of Potter Home and stopped only by a voice that called out. "Where were you earlier?" Sirius questioned from the top of the stairs as Alex neared him. Making it to the foyer, Alex stopped next to him.

"Dealing with a small crisis. Don't worry. It's handled." She assured him as she walked by. She didn't get far when he called out causing her to stop.

"You know secrets have weight." He paused turning to face her. "And the more you keep the harder it is to keep moving." Sirius called out.

"Yeah well I guess it's a good thing I can teleport places." Alex commented dryly before continuing on leaving Sirius standing there staring after her shaking his head.

* * *

 _ **Thank you for all of the support. Feedback is always appreciated and I hope you enjoyed! Happy Reading! See ya for the next chapter! -DS**_


	15. Too Easy?

**_Enjoy!_**

* * *

 ** _How It Should've Been_**

 ** _Chapter 14: Too Easy?_**

 _Two Weeks Later_

"Alex!" Jake exclaimed causing her to stop in her tracks and turn to face him. "Things have been getting worse, admit it. There have been ten deaths of mortal family members in the past two weeks." Jake put his hand on the railing as he faced Alex. They were at the San Francisco Haven in the control room and were up on the loft level.

"What do you want me to say Jake? That I know? Yes, I know things are getting worse. What do you want me to do?" Alex questioned exasperated. The past two weeks had seen both of them having spent more time either in Vancouver, San Francisco or speaking to family members of Demi-gods than they did at home. Alex had barely been in London or even Britain for the past two weeks. She probably only saw Sirius for all of ten minutes during her collective time there which was totaled at about an hour and the only time they actually talked was when he was questioning her.

Most of the Demi-gods that were over sixteen were helping in any way possible. There wasn't much they could do short of keeping watch over the families of the Demi-gods, and they could only do that with the ones they actually knew of or that accepted help, which was barely half. The other half either refused anything godly in their home short of their children or they didn't know about the world.

"If I had any suggestions I would've made them." Jake exclaimed. Shaking his head, he sighed before continuing. "It's like the army of monsters Atlas has at his disposal is a seemingly endless supply. There have been attacks all over the US. They happen randomly."

Alex frowned, "Randomly." She repeated, Jake nodded questioningly. "Because they all start at the same place." She realized, her head turned to look over the railing where people were milling around. There was a wall covered in a map with red marks on the spots that have been hit and when. She studied for a second before her eyes widened slightly. "Look at that." She pointed at the map, Jake moved to stand next to her but failed to see what she was seeing. He turned his head to look at her with a cocked eyebrow. "The places on the west coast. All of the attacks on the west coast happen on the last day of the cycle."

"Hate to break it to you Alex but there isn't a cycle to this." Jake frowned. Alex grinned looking at him.

"Yeah there is. The east coast is hit first, then the middle of the country and lastly the west coast." Alex jogged down the steps onto the first floor with Jake on her heels. She picked up a file from one of the desks and opened it showing it to him. "But before that, there is an attack in Europe. Then it starts over at Europe again. It's a four-day cycle." She explained and Jake looked between the file which held the lighter attacks that were in Europe and the map. She was right.

"If it starts in Europe that means they're coming from there. And the west coast is last because it takes the longest to get there." Jake put together after taking the file from Alex. He removed the papers from the file, one for each attack. There were nine, there were three attacks each time and it's happened there three times. He cleared the huge research table that was in the center of the room. Laying them out in columns of each set of attacks for each day. So there were three columns each with three pages in them.

Alex moved to pick up another file that contained the attacks from the US, skimming them for the location, she put the east coast ones in the same format, three by three going by date, time and place. Then did the same with central US and then the west coast. West coast was the farthest left while Europe was furtherest right. Each paper held the date, time and location of the attack along with who was attacked, wounded count along with a small map of where in the US or Europe it was.

Each column was the attacks in that coast in that rotation. Each row was each attack from each rotation. You could see the route they took along each row.

"Look at that. It's not random." One of the people that was milling around before mumbled amazed. Most of the people that were moving around had stopped when Alex and Jake cleared off the table and started putting the pages down to watch. They were all looking on in rapt attention at the pages as everything came together.

"Only question that's left is where exactly are they coming from." Alex wondered sharing a look with Jake.

* * *

 _Hogwarts_

So far Harry had been in school for a little short of a month and he was already bored. The past two weeks had flown by, his lessons and homework were easy as he already been through it all and more. His friendship with Hermione had strengthened and they were getting to becoming better friends. He was also working on loosening her view on authority, but with little success. Obviously, Harry had to keep his secrets about who he was and about his family, but the people he felt himself around at school was Hermione and Luna even though Hermione didn't know the real him. He tried to keep his personality the same, and was just light on his past.

For the past two Saturday's when Harry and Luna went to the Room to meet with Alex and train they found Sirius instead of Alex. Apparently not even Sirius knew what was going on with Alex when Harry asked. He had little to no communication with Alex for the past two weeks as well. It worried Harry as even when Alex was always away, she still would find a way to communicate with him. This was the first time that he hadn't heard from her for this long of a period and Sirius had no idea what was going on.

While he was tempted, he hadn't tried the ring on his finger yet to contact her. If it was one thing that Harry knew in all honestly, it was that Alex could take care of herself and if she hadn't contacted them she had a good reason. Even if his father didn't look at it that way. Harry knew Alex was a secretive or private person, he grew up around it. His father was more transparent to an extent but even he had secrets, secrets that Harry had no doubt Alex probably knew about even if Sirius didn't believe she did.

Even though Sirius never said it outright, Harry knew he was hoping that Harry wouldn't be like Alex in regards to secrets and lies. That it wasn't something that could run in the family and that Alex had just developed the skill over the years and from experience. And even if Sirius didn't want to admit it, Harry was a good lair, he had to be with who he was. It was one of the things Sirius hated that Harry had to deal with, but if Harry was going to be honest, he was thankful. It was a useful skill to have and he didn't blame Alex for keeping secrets. They were often times necessary, no matter how much his father tried to tell him it wasn't and that it was best to be honest.

They both knew he was wrong. It was just another on the list of things that he disagreed with his father on and agreed with Alex about. His father had a different outlook on war as well. Sirius understood the sometimes need to do what was necessary, but he didn't believe in it like Alex had. While Sirius never wanted Harry to have to even think about each outlook and tried to shield him as much as possible from it, which wasn't much, Harry still had formed his own opinions. Opinions that closer matched Alex's than Sirius's. That was often an argument between his father and aunt.

Sirius had gotten upset about it, about him having such an opinion on how things worked. Alex had fought back about it saying it was needed and how the world worked. She was the one who trained him in martial arts, swords, bows, staffs, and various other weapons along with his powers when he came into them. His school taught him most of the magic he knew but when Alex finally made to argue her point and Sirius caved, Sirius taught him some of the "darker" spells, even if personally Harry didn't think of them as dark. Neither did Alex, Sirius thought them more unneeded than dark. He understood that intent was what made something Dark or light not the magic. All magic was grey. That was something his school believed in as well. Britain was the most unreasonable and restricting country in terms of magic. It was blinded.

Over the years, Sirius had become more willing about using more lethal or dangerous force. He still didn't make his first resort but then again none of them did. He just tried to open his mindset, not as far as Alex or Harry would've liked but it was better.

In his time at Hogwarts, Harry found that there was so many things not taught because the blinded Ministry believed it dark when in reality it wasn't. That was yet another of the things Harry had learned that Hermione was adamant about, light and dark magic. She believed that dark magic was bad and light was good. She saw the world in black and white, much like Harry had once before he learned before he gained clarity but even then, he still saw at least some level of grey. Alex was the one that gave clarity to him. Now he was determined to pass on the lesson no matter how difficult.

 _"Alright Harry, I guess it's time you learn the truth." Alex admitted as she sat down next to him on the end of his bed. He just found out the truth of who Alex was and what she could do._

 _"I thought that was it?" Thirteen-year-old Harry asked confused._

 _Sighing, Alex shook her head. "I meant the truth about why I leave often." Harry's eyes widened as Alex turned so she was angled slightly more towards him. "Now you know all about the deities and all of that and me being a Master of Elements and being a partial immortal. But the reason I leave isn't just that but because I am also-I'm a Chaser for Hades." She told him. Harry frowned._

 _"What does that mean?" Harry questioned._

 _"Hades Chasers are people that track people down that Hades believes have cheated death, or those that has escaped it and unworthy of that." Alex answered, watching him waiting for a reaction._

 _"When you say track down you mean-" Harry started wearily._

 _"Kill them." Alex cut him off with a nod. "Yes." She nodded again. Harry looked down as he thought about this new information._

 _"But why? You're basically a hit person for a god. Why?" Harry demanded looking back up at her._

 _"Because in the worlds we live in, it's often times a necessity. As for why I am Hades Chaser in the first place, well it was part of a deal I made." She paused and one Harry opened his mouth she cut him off. "One that I can't tell you about." She denied knowing what his question would've been. Harry's jaw clenched at the answer._

 _"That's not fair." He argued angrily. Alex had a small smile._

 _"No, maybe not. But there are things that are best left unsaid, best left hidden. You'll know one day, but now is not that day. Not for a while." Alex responded._

 _"Why does Hades want that in the first place?" Harry questioned moving to his next question of curiosity._

 _"Because most of the people that I go after, deserve it." Alex answered simply. Harry's mouth dropped in shock._

 _"How can anyone deserve death? Why not just detain them?" Harry demanded shocked._

 _"Let me ask you something. Voldemort. If he was alive and getting away with killing your parents. Would you want him dead or detained?" Alex questioned looking at him. Harry wasn't looking directly at her, more of down at his hands in his lap as he thought about it. It didn't take long._

 _"Dead." Harry admitted quietly. "Does that make me a bad person?" He wondered looking to Alex for an answer._

 _She shook her head looking at him. "Not for a second. He did horrible things. And wanting him dead after everything and him taking James and Lily away from you is reasonable. He tried to cheat death and magical people aren't meant to be able to short of using inhuman methods. Most of the people that Hades goes after are people that 'honestly' the world is better off without. People that have no regard for human life. No, it doesn't make it moral, or right. But sometimes…" She paused. "There's a saying, it goes, 'there are people in this world who deal in only extremes, and it is naïve to believe we can deal with them in anything less than extreme measures.'" She recited. Harry nodded thinking about it._

 _"Who taught you that?" Harry inquired curiously._

 _"Your mother actually." Alex answered quietly looking down for a second. "She understood that there is not just light and dark. But rather many shades of grey. That circumstance and intent can blur the lines of right and wrong. She believed that we should protect our loved ones no matter the cost. Something she did until the very end." Alex told him. Harry looked at her with shining eyes as he smiled._

 _"You and dad don't talk about them often." Harry stated drawing Alex's gaze. She looked at him before smiling._

 _"No, we don't. But we should. They were great people, people worthy of telling stories about. I'll make a deal with you, I'll remember to tell you more about your mother, and you remember to keep an open mind about the world, how does that sound?" She offered, extending her hand for him to shake. He met her eyes and gave a nod, he shook her hand trying to keep a straight face. Alex must've seen the emotion crossing his eyes because she pulled his hand and let go as she was pulling him into a hug._

 _"Thank you." Harry mumbled from where his face was against the crook of Alex's neck._

He kept his side of the deal and so had Alex until it came to a point where he wasn't just keeping an open mind but seeing the truth about the world, the clarity. It was a gift that most people probably couldn't say they were given in their lifetime, but it was one Harry would never trade, one of the best that could've been given, one his parents never got the chance to give.

* * *

 _Sometime Later – New York_

They had dispersed after finding out the pattern. Some left to inform others, some to go change shifts with somebody. Jake and Alex went their separate ways to cover different things.

Turning down the hall, Jake stopped short when he spotted Alex and his mother speaking around the corner. Moving to be in the cover of the corner, he slowly peeked his head out and listened.

"But why bless the girl?" Alex questioned confused.

"Because she has a destiny." Hecate answered exasperated. It was clear from how she answered that she had already answered it more than once.

"Yeah, great I got it the first five times. What I want is a more elaborate or detailed answer." Alex snapped annoyed.

"The questions you ask have answers I cannot give." Hecate responded cryptically.

"Oh, and now we're moving onto riddles. Fantastic." Sarcasm was dripping from Alex's words. "I just want to know what this girl has to do with anything. Why the hell can't you just tell me?" Alex demanded. "I know how fate works and she is in my nephew's life for a reason, and I just want to know what it is."

"You will know soon enough." Hecate answered before disappearing with a flash.

"Yeah well screw you to." Alex muttered angrily under her breathe before shaking her head and walking down the hall away from where Jake was standing behind cover of the corner.

An hour later saw everyone back in the control room standing around the research table which held the previous attacks. Alex and Jake took point and began.

"Tomorrow the first attack on the US takes place. It will be in the east coast and based on the previous attacks on the east coast and their locations, the children of Athena have worked out that the attacks will all be within the Delaware area." Alex began looking around at surrounding group.

"This is a list of all of the demigod families in said area that we know of." Jake held up a paper. "These are our top priority and they will be on watch twenty-four seven. Understood?" He paused waiting for everyone to nod. When they did he nodded to Alex.

"Now the objective is going to be to protect these families. We are trying to limit the casualties as much as possible. But it would be a big help if one of the attacking monsters could be captured for interrogation."

"But remember, do not jeopardize a life of a mortal to capture one. If it's not possible then that's that." Jake interjected sternly looking each and every one of them in the eye. "If one is captured, alert us or someone at command and we'll either come out or send a top interrogator. Clear?" Jake questioned. There were various nods and yeses from everyone. "Good."

"Alright, great. There are four families in Delaware. Davis lead group one." Alex ordered as she handed the man a paper with the family he and his team was charged with protecting. "Rivers, group two." She continued handing him a paper to receive a nod. "And Daniels and Aston will lead groups three and four respectively. Got it? Great." She handed out the last remaining papers and everyone left to prep their own teams for the trip.

The next morning everyone was sent off. Every team had a tactician, a teleporter, a senior counselor who was the leader and two other experienced fighters making it a five-member unit.

Sure enough, only hours later command was getting a call asking for Alex and Jake to come out to talk to a commander that was captured from the attack.

"The commanders in there." Rivers pointed to the tent when they arrived. Nodding, Alex entered the tent to see the monster in shackles restrained. He was struggling until he looked up, seeing Alex he began to struggle against the chains.

"So. Do you like taking things the easy way, or do you prefer the difficult way?" Alex questioned as Rivers entered the tent behind her and closed the flap.

"Screw you." The monster spat. Alex rose an eyebrow before nodding.

"Okay, alright, so you like the difficult path. Got it." She moved closer and bent down slightly to eye level with him. "You're not afraid of being sent to Tartarus. Are you?" She paused and waited. When he didn't answer she continued. "You're not afraid of me. That was your first mistake. Your second was making whatever deal you made to do this. Because you may not be afraid of Tartarus but what about the void? I'm pretty sure that's one place you can't come back from." She wondered aloud, watching for a reaction and wasn't disappointed. He took on a fearful look for a few seconds, before shaking it off.

"I'm not afraid of you, I'm not gonna talk." He snapped, there was a slight waver in his voice, barely noticeable.

"You're not? Hm, maybe I should give you a reason to be. Why don't we test that void theory mhm?" Alex suggested as a sword appeared out of fire. The monster swallowed. The sword went alit with black flames. In the black flames was wisps and crackles of red lightning, the black was as dark as night.

"H-hell fire." He stammered as he renewed his effort of struggling against the bonds. Alex nodded moving the sword to rest barely an inch from the monster's throat.

"You have a choice. Either this sword goes through you, hell fire and all or you tell me what I want to know. What's it gonna be?" Alex questioned tilting her head in curiosity. She may not have been shouting but her eyes were as cold as ice and the sword against his neck showed how dire his situation was.

"I'll tell you. Just get the sword away from me!" He exclaimed panicking his eyes darting around the room.

"Not until I have reason to. It's incentive to remember what will happen if you lie. Now, where is Atlas's base? And where are you coming from?" She warned not moving it. His eyes moved quickly between the flaming sword and Alex.

Gulping, he closed his eyes. "Canada." He answered not opening his eyes. He felt the a cold on his neck. Eyes shooting open they darted down, the flames were dancing off of his neck and that were freezing cold. "No! No. Please." He begged.

"I warned you not to lie. Try again!" Alex demanded threateningly. The monsters breathing quickened considerably.

"He'll kill me. Please." He pleaded.

"And I'll do worse than that. Your choice."

"Alright, alright. We come from Greece. A man, a snake like man is the one who makes us. Atlas just directs us. The base, its uh it's-it's i-in the Atlas's destroyed temple. Please." The monster stammered through it and closing his eyes in fear. Alex nodded moving the sword away.

"Thanks, that's all I needed." Alex turned and moved less than five steps before she whipped around plunging the still lit sword into the monster's midsection. His eyes went wide in shock as the cold flames spread around his body and it started dissolving and in seconds he was gone, nothing remained, no dust, just gone. The flames went out and Alex released the sword and let it sink into the ground in shadows.

Turning, she left the tent but not before hearing Rivers mutter, "Damn. That was cold." Ignoring it, she dropped the flap behind her and continued over to one of the set-up tables that was beside a fire where Jake was standing.

"Greece." She said with no preamble as she approached. "Voldemort makes them."

"The command-" He started.

"Void." Alex cut him off before he could finish. He nodded absently as she moved to stand next to him looking at the map spread out on the table. "What?" She must've sensed his hesitation. He sighed before turning to face her.

"You really had to send him to the void?" He exclaimed exasperated.

"What did you want me to do?" Alex questioned incredulously. "Let him go?"

"No, I- nothing. Forget it. Anyway, do we know where in Greece?"

"Atlas's old temple." Alex answered shortly. Jake frowned in thought.

"Atlas had a temple?" He wondered curiously looking at Alex, she shrugged.

"Apparently. So, here's what I'm thinking. We put an end to this. Tomorrow, all out strike on the temple, get Atlas back under the sky." Alex suggested, Jake looked thoughtful before nodding.

"Sure, let's get all the groups back to base and then transport everyone to Greece for it."

* * *

 _Next Morning_

All the groups had been recalled to the Haven and given the plan. The four groups plus four other groups along with Alex and Jake arrived in Greece at daybreak and made their way to the surrounding area of Atlas's temple. Jake was leading two of the teams in a frontal assault, while Alex was leading two of them in an attack from the back while the other four teams went two on each side of the building. Everyone was either going in through a door, window or blasting through.

It was seven o'clock when the assault started, all of the teams going at the same time. Entering the building, they found that the building was swarming with monsters. The four teams from either side took care of them while Jake and Alex's sets of teams went in search of further levels for Atlas.

It turned out there were two underground levels, Atlas was at the very bottom. Alex and Jake entered with a team each on opposing sides of the room. Atlas was standing talking to a large group of monsters.

Each of their teams went after the monsters while Alex and Jake went after Atlas. They all sprang into action, swords appearing in both of their hands as Atlas backtracked out of their paths. Alex spun so the sword caught his left arm and ducked under the swing from Atlas's own sword. While he swung at her, Jake took a slash at his unprotected side leaving a mark.

They continued this way for at least five minutes, going back and forth before it was becoming tiresome and Alex threw caution to the wind slamming into Atlas as they both disappeared in a flurry of flames and reappeared on the mountain as Jake appeared behind Atlas and swung at his legs using Atlas's momentum to his advantage as he fell straight into Iapetus knocking him out from under the sky and onto Atlas.

The duo shared a look before disappearing in flames and electricity and in smoke respectively. They reappeared at the temple to find golden dust practically painting the ground and the groups all returning from their locations.

 _Hour or so Later_

Everyone was back at the command room or recovering from the assault while Alex and Jake were standing on the lift level. People were milling around below clearing out the maps and papers.

"It seemed easy. Too easy." Jake commented breaking the silence as they watched the people below.

"I know, I was thinking the same. The whole thing was meant to be so that we couldn't help the wizarding world when Voldemort struck because we'd be dealing with Atlas. But nothing really happened on that end." Alex spoke shaking her head in disbelief. Jake shrugged, he didn't know either.

"I guess we just have to take the win for now. And continue on, pick up the pieces and be ready for anything." Jake sighed in thought, Alex nodded in agreement. That sounded like all they could do, what needed to be done.

* * *

The months flew by after the battle in Greece and soon it was December which meant it was time for Harry's winter break. Harry and Hermione were sitting together in a compartment on the train to Kings Cross while Luna was in a different compartment with a friend.

When the train came to a stop, Harry and Hermione stood, collected their belongings before exiting the compartment and then the train. Sharing a hug, they went their separate ways, Hermione towards the gateway and Harry towards where Luna was waving him over.

"Ryder, this is my friend." Luna gestured to the girl around the same age she was standing next to.

The girl stuck out her hand, "Ginny Weasley." She greeted with a smile.

Harry extended his hand and shook. "Ryder Cage." He paused when the handshake ended and thought. "Weasley?" At her nod, he continued, "Related to a Ronald Weasley?"

"One of my many older brothers. Cage? Hm, I think I heard that name in one of his many rants." Ginny thought before glancing at Luna.

"Yeah, probably about how we don't get along or something." Harry suggested. Ginny nodded thoughtfully. Harry and Ronald had several run ins over the course of the semester, none of them good as they all began with Ronald insulting or badmouthing either Luna or Hermione.

"Probably." Then she smiled, "Anyone that can bug my brother as much as you have is a friend. Especially since you're a friend of Luna's. That's an added bonus." She chuckled and Harry found himself laughing along with her. Ginny didn't seem as bad as her brother, with time Harry could see himself being friends with her.

"Oh, there they are!" Luna exclaimed grabbing their attention. They both looked at her curious. "Ryder, the other friend I was going to introduce you to." Luna continued at their curious looks. A look of realization crossed Harry's face, the friend's aunt's cousin that taught Luna about her powers. Right, she was introducing them. Harry nodded before turning back to face Ginny.

"It was nice meeting you, shame we can't talk longer but we really must be going. See you after break." Harry apologized.

"Completely understood, with Luna as a friend you learn to get used to spontaneousness. It was a pleasure meeting you, have a good break!" Ginny bid goodbye before moving over to her own family as Luna began dragging Harry by the arm over to where her friend and her aunt along with cousin were standing.

"Ryder, this is my friend Susan Bones and her aunt Amelia." She introduced when they approached the trio. Harry extended his hand and shook both Susan's and Amelia's before Luna moved over to the last member of the group. "And this is who taught me all about our world, Hunter." He looked early twenties like Alex but Harry knew he was more than likely older than that. He had sky blue eyes and his brown hair was short but flicked up in the front. The man didn't look overly muscled but the definition was there, from first looks, Harry thought he had what would be labeled as a swimmer's body same as Harry's, muscular but lean. Hunter looked intrigued by the wording of the introduction and shook Harry's hand.

"You're a partial?" Hunter questioned lightly after releasing Harry's hand. Nodding, Harry allowed his eyes to fill with flames for a second before they dissipated. Hunter nodded in acceptance. "And Luna tells me you have an aunt who is a master?" Hunter raised an eyebrow in question. Harry was about to answer but didn't get the chance when he spotted Alex standing at a pillar behind where the group was standing, looking at him. Meeting her eyes, he looked back to Hunter.

"Actually, I can introduce you right now if you want?" Harry suggested, Hunter gave a 'lead the way' gesture before looking to the others in the group.

"Be right back." Hunter assured them before following after Harry, leaving Luna and Susan conversing and Amelia's gaze following after him before she turned and looked at the girls.

Harry led him over to Alex as she watched him approach and pushed off the pillar, arms remains crossed.

"Hunter, this is Alex, my aunt." Harry introduced watching Alex for a reaction. Harry and Alex had been sparse on communication over the past few months, their last message had ended with Alex saying the crisis was taken care of and that she would be there to pick him up at the station.

Alex extended her hand, "Nice meeting you, Hunter."

"Alex Evans. It's a pleasure. Hunter Mason." He shook her hand. Harry watched the interaction between the two.

"You know my last name?" Alex realized, brows furrowed.

"Not many people can make a deal with Hades. Plus, we're rare so not many of us." Hunter explained, Alex nodded in agreement and acceptance.

From back over where Luna and Susan were talking, Amelia turned and looked over in the direction Hunter had went, eyes searching for him. Her eyes landed on him but widened when she saw who he was talking to. Hunter had his back to Amelia and was facing Alex while Harry was standing with his side facing Amelia. Alex looked to be nodding to something that was said. Amelia looked back at the girls before turning to look back at the trio.

After ten more minutes, Hunter nodded before taking something out of this pocket, writing something on a small paper and handing it to Alex and turning and walking back over to Amelia as Harry and Alex left the platform.

When he made it back over, Amelia looked at him. "Be careful." She warned looking at the place Alex had been standing minutes prior. Hunter looked at her before following her glance.

"What are you talking about?" He asked looking at her confused, putting the pen back into his pocket.

"Alex." Amelia answered as if it was obvious. Hunter raised an eyebrow.

"What are you talking about?" He repeated.

"She's dangerous." And at Hunters questioning gaze she continued, "There's something more to her, she hides things."

Sighing, Hunter shook his head, "It wouldn't surprise me if she did, hell it would surprise me if she didn't. I do it too but I have no doubt with everything I've heard about her and what she's done and been mixed up in she has reasons. Don't forget, I've told you several times, something's are better left unspoken." Hunter reminded her. "Now come on, you promised to drop Luna off at her fathers." Amelia nodded absently as the group left the station.

- _With Harry & Alex_-

They arrived in the living room when Harry tapped his pendant, dropping his disguise as he removed his trunk from his pocket and unshrunk it. Before calling a house-elf and having the trunk disappear up to his room. Turning, he faced Alex. She was looking at him waiting for what she knew would come.

"What has been going on?" Harry demanded, Alex dropped his gaze and looked down, raising her hand to rub her face. "Where have you been?" He pushed.

"As I said, it was a crisis. And it's taken care of. Nothing to worry about." She assured him, and she wasn't lying. Over the past few months everything had gone back to normal. Camp Half-Bloods barriers were reset and fixed, any damage done was fixed and all of the campers returned leaving only the ones that lost family members out. They had gone back home to what family they had left to grieve or deal with family matters. Other than that, everyone over the past months had recovered from the mini-war and everything went back to normal. Only a few were lost and they were remembered and honored.

"Then why am I worrying? Oh, that's right, because you went basically MIA for months!" Harry exclaimed, voice dripping sarcasm, arms waving.

"Nothing is wrong, I-" She started.

"And I doubt she'd tell you if it was." A voice remarked as they entered the room drawing their attention. Harry went over to Sirius and hugged him. When they separated, Harry looked between Alex and Sirius, as if sensing the tension.

"What happened between you two?" Harry questioned pulling away from Sirius and looking at them. Both of them refused to meet his eye.

"Secrets." Sirius answered without elaborating at the same time that Alex answered, "Nosiness."

Harry continued to look between them but knew he wasn't going to get much more out of them and just nodded. Sirius gestured for Harry to follow him and glancing one last time Alex's way, he followed.

Alex made her way up to her area of the house and entered her own study, before closing the door and moving over to the desk. Taking out the paper from the from pocket of her jeans, she read it again.

 _07911 72793_

 _Call Me? – H.M_

Smiling slightly, she took out her phone from her pocket and entered it as a contact before flipping it closed and opening a drawer and a folder and slipping the paper slip in before closing it and the drawer.

- _Dumbledore's Office-_

Dumbledore was pacing in front of his desk pondering matters. The students had left for the winter holidays and Harry Potter was not among them. In fact, Harry Potter wasn't in Hogwarts at all and Dumbledore couldn't understand it. Why wasn't he at Hogwarts? He had done everything possible to ensure it, passed laws to make it happen, yet nothing? The boy had to come back, with Voldemort back even if he hadn't acted yet, it was only a matter of time and the boy had to be here. How else was he going to die and destroy the horcrux? There was no other way.

Albus sighed and slowed his pacing to a stop before lifting his hand and looked at it, the blackness wasn't spreading as Severus had managed to slow it but he still was running out of time. Lowering his hand, he resumed pacing thinking. Had he miscalculated? Had Sirius taken Harry none of the countries he predicted? Dumbledore cast a look over to one of his many trinkets, none of them were working, and they hadn't for the past fifteen years. For the first time in a while Albus was truly at a loss as to what to do.

* * *

 _ **So while I myself don't like Dumbledore (He's just misled in this story not a complete whack job) nor Ronald Weasley (He's just a jackass, don't think we'll see him often) much, I'm not going to heavily bash them in this story, they aren't the main part of this story and if you couldn't tell from how quickly the Atlas arc ended he isn't either. Normally I'm not a fan of Ginny either but that's when she's a love interest, I do believe she would be a good friend to Harry so that will be her small part in this story, friend. Here we go, Hunter has entered the story and met our main characters. He will be a pretty important character as well and will be a great friend to Alex, Harry, etc.**_

 _ **And damn this chapter was long. Over 6,000 words not including the AN, originally this was two chapters but I decided to put them together as honestly, we aren't even half way through the story and we are already at fourteen chapters and the fact they fit better together than apart. This is either one of or is my longest chapter written to date so woohoo! But please don't expect this every chapter.**_

 _ **Anyway, see you guys soon, hope you enjoyed, thank you for the continued support and peace out! -DS**_


	16. Holidays, Memories & A Trip To Hell

_**Enjoy this early upload! Two in one week? Yup. And there will be one on Monday as well. I'm feeling nice and want to give back to you guys by putting up a new chapter.**_

 _Flashbacks_

* * *

 _ **How It Should've Been**_

 _ **Chapter 15: Holidays, Memories and A Trip to The Underworld**_

The days until Christmas had the family in tension. Harry could feel the unspoken disagreement going on between Sirius and Alex, a disagreement neither of them seemed willing to confront. As the days passed on things did get better between the two to a point where they were capable of being in the same room, without muttering snide comments about the other and talking civilly. Though Harry suspected that the only reason that was possible in the first place was because he forced it on them. He wasn't blind to what the problem was between them, it had always been a problem. The lack of truth and the excess of secrets. It wasn't as if it was a foreign problem to the family.

Harry had experienced the argument before and he always had his own opinions on it. Opinions he often times expressed. The secrets and omissions at times did get bothersome when he wanted to know something but the overall concept of them he understood and supported, while his father, well his father did not. In the past Harry had taken Alex's side of it, and thinking about it, he probably always would. Her view point was closer to Harry's own than his fathers was.

So, when Christmas Day came around, the three were sitting in the living room with a Christmas tree in the corner to the left of the fireplace and Harry decided to settle the matter. Alex and Sirius on separate couches that were across from one another. Harry stood.

"I know you two have your disagreements, and your different opinions about secrets and lies, but we are a family. So, we have to accept and trust each other when we do something, even if it's not something we like." Harry watched them both as he spoke, as they listened. At the end of his speech they shared a look. "So, let's put it behind us and hug it out!" Harry ordered, they both smiled slightly at his antics and stood from either of the couches before moving around the coffee table and doing as Harry ordered, hugging it out.

Pulling away they both turned to look at him with the same expression on their faces, one that read 'All better now?' Harry nodded in acceptance as he went over to them and pulled both of them into a family hug. They weren't perfect by any means nor was the argument one that wouldn't come up again but for now it was behind them, but just barely.

After the opening of presents, Minerva arrived via the floo to spend some time with the family that she was always close with. Even when they lived in another country, she and Sirius had kept up correspondence and spent some time on the holidays visiting. She viewed him and James as sons and Lily as a daughter, so when James and Lily passed she made a renewed effort to stay in Sirius' life and in turn Harry's. Then over time she began to even view Alex as family. She was thrilled when Sirius told her they were coming back to Britain, even if she wasn't happy about the reasons and their lack of choice but she tried to make everything as easy as possible. Making arrangements for Harry to attend Hogwarts as Ryder. Then actually at school having to pretend he was just a student and not practically family.

She had tried to help him as much as possible, warning him about being friends with Hermione as if anyone was to find out his secret it would be her. But Harry claimed everything would be fine. She watched as the months passed and the duo became closer friends, as close as they could be with Harry lying about his identity and past. He trusted her, and Minerva just hoped that it wouldn't come back to bite him. But she resigned and supported his choices. And today she was just going to enjoy the time and relish in the chance to act like family for the first time in a while.

* * *

It was the day after Christmas, Boxing Day and Alex was walking down the streets of New York towards the agreed café. It had outside tables, and spotting him, she entered the gate and moved to the table he was at and sat across from him.

"You know when I gave you my number I wasn't sure you'd actually use it." Hunter remarked as she sat across from him. He had a cup of what smelled like hot chocolate in front of him that was steaming even in the cold weather.

"Neither was I, but as you said, there aren't too many of us so it's best to stick together and be friends." Alex admitted, before raising her hand to signal over one of the milling servers and ordered a coco as well.

"But how did you know I was a good guy?" Hunter questioned smiling. Alex tilted her head back and forth as if thinking.

"Well you taught Luna. And that doesn't seem like an enemy move. Not to mention, it takes a special kind of patience." Alex grinned as she took a sip of the just delivered cup.

"Okay." He laughed. "You got me there."

"So, why'd you want to meet in New York? I thought Britain was your home." Alex wondered looking back up at him.

"Well." He paused to take a sip and lick his lips, "Britain is my home but New York is kind of a big hotspot for this world, and I've stayed out of it for a while, seemed like it was time to really join the world. So, I decided to get an apartment in the New York Haven." Hunter explained.

"Yeah? When do you move in?" Alex questioned as Hunters smile turned into a grin.

"Right now." He said with a grin, Alex raised an eyebrow in question. "You're helping me." He elaborated not losing his grin.

"I am?" Both eyebrows were raised as she questioned incredulously. Hunter nodded exaggeratedly before taking the last sip of his drink and standing moving and throwing it away before beckoning for her to do the same. Sighing, Alex stood grabbed her cup, took another sip before tossing it and giving Hunter a glare and following after him.

Minutes later they entered the Haven and Alex followed Hunter to the elevator where he pushed the button for his new floor. Arriving at the floor, Hunter showed Alex to the apartment and upon seeing it she walked right back out.

"There has to be dozens of boxes in there!" She complained turning straight back around at the sight. Hunter turned and followed her down the hall.

"Come on! I think you're exaggerating! There's ten at the most." He laughed as he followed.

"Ten my ass, try at least twenty." She exclaimed wildly. "That would take forever!"

"Yes, it would, without your help. With it, it'll take just short of forever." He joked and he moved to walk backwards in front of her as she continued down the wall. "Please?" He pleaded pouting. She stopped.

"I hate you." She muttered before turning back around.

"Where are you going?" He questioned with a grin that could be heard in his voice.

"To unbox an obscene amount of boxes." She grumbled as he ran to catch up with her and walk next to her. "You know Boxing Day doesn't mean actual boxes." She remarked as they neared his box filled apartment.

"Actually, it does." He commented with a smile. She looked at him for a minute trying to see if he was being serious.

"Screw you." She mumbled at last as they entered the apartment and set to work on the 'dozens' of boxes.

 _"How the hell do you have so many boxes? Oh, wait better question! Why the hell are you not using magic?" Alex exclaimed as she set a box down and turned to look at Lily who was looking in a box. She looked up._

 _"This is a muggle neighborhood." She answered as if it explained everything._

 _"Why not just featherlight the damn things or shrink them beforehand then?" Alex questioned as she moved a box into the kitchen._

 _"Because it's still a risk. Just because you enjoy risks and living on the edge of danger doesn't mean I do." Lily teased as she entered the kitchen and started putting things in the cabinets. "Besides, it's fun to do things this way, gives a feeling of accomplishment."_

 _"We have very different definitions of fun." Alex grumbled. "And just so you know, what you call risks and edge of danger, yeah I call that living without restrictions." She corrected._

 _"Oh, you're right, I'm sorry I totally meant that. Because almost giving me a heart attack when you disappear in flames isn't dangerous." Lily remarked sarcastically. Alex grinned and followed her into the kitchen._

 _"Well that's a risk to you." She pointed at Lily. "Not me. So perfectly safe. Plus, it's my job."_

 _"Your job is to give me a heart attack? What type of job is that?" Lily looked at her incredulously._

 _"My job as your little sister." She grinned in response._

 _"I hate you." Lily mutter under her breathe but just loud enough that Alex heard it._

 _"No, you don't, you love me. You'd miss my antics if I was gone." She assured her before leaving and going back outside to bring another box in. Lily smiled, while she would never admit it, Alex was right. She would miss her antics. It was part of their relationship, who they were. That's how they always knew they were okay and showed the love, though they would never admit that to each other._

Alex smiled fondly at the memory as she put things into the cabinet. It wound up being the other way around, she missed Lily's antics and teasing. It was who they were, a part of them. A part had been deprived of her the past fifteen years and would be forever even if over the years she did develop that kind of relationship with Sirius, it would never be exactly the same.

Over the past few months, Alex had found herself thinking more about Lily than she had in past years. Maybe it was because it had been fifteen years and the time was up? Yet Lily hadn't returned when her memories should've. Alex had spoken to Hades about it and all he said on the matter was she fulfilled her side of the deal and so had he. His tightlippedness definitely didn't miss Alex's attention but chalked it up to the fact the thing they were talking about was an under the table deal that probably shouldn't have been made.

"So where in the building do you live?" Hunter questioned suddenly from the living room of the apartment breaking Alex out of her thoughts.

Shaking her head, she called back, "Top, I'm one of the pseudo-owners." She revealed.

 _"So where in this building do you live?" Lily questioned as they walked down the streets of New York towards the Haven._

 _"Tippyity top. Group of us live up there as the pseudo-owners." Alex explained walking side by side with Lily with her hands with her jacket pockets. Lily nodded in acceptance but a confused look came over her face._

 _"Wait, pseudo-owners?" Lily questioned confused looking at Alex as they walked._

 _"Well the buildings owned by the Olympians technically but you know all the paperwork and crap is easier if people that everyone knew were real looked to own it." Alex explained answering her question._

Alex was once again broken out of the memory to see Hunter staring at her with concern in his eyes. "You okay?" He asked with furrowed eyebrows and worry seeping into his voice. Alex nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She assured him, pausing. "Actually, I have to go." She walked past him and out of the kitchen towards the door. He turned confused and his eyes followed her.

"Wait, what? Why?" He tilted his head confused as he took a few steps.

"I need to do something!" She called already out the door shutting it behind her.

* * *

"HADES!" Alex shouted as she entered his throne room in the underworld. He stood from his where he was talking to one of the furies. "Tell me what happened." Alex demanded walking across the room ending five feet in front of him. Hades raised an eyebrow.

"With?" He drawled.

"With Lily." She ground out not in a happy mood.

"Ah, I've already told you we both fulfilled our agree-" He started.

"Does she get her memory back?" Alex interrupted.

"Yes." He answered shortly.

"Then why hasn't she returned?" Alex practically snarled out.

"I do not know. I believe the deal was she be reborn the same and then fifteen years later she'd regain her memories. I held up that agreement. But I did not agree to keep a watch on her." Hades shrugged.

"Is she still in the place she was reborn?" Alex questioned loudly. Hades looked to think about it before he shook his head.

"No. She was gone before the time came." He revealed. "Apparently my informant says that the house she was staying in hasn't been touched in months and she left rather abruptly not taking anything. Found it odd." Alex's eyes widened at this revelation before she turned on her heel and quickly left the throne room. "Much like that I presume." He commented to himself as she had already left.

Alex arrived back home an hour later and immediately went to her wing of the house and locked the section off from the rest of the house drawing the attention of both Sirius and Harry. It stayed like that until the day before Harry was set to go back to Hogwarts, which was a week later, when she knocked on Harry's open bedroom door. Harry and Luna were sitting on the floor in front of bed with books surrounding them. Her knock drew both of their attention before they shared a look but neither moved.

"Luna, think I could have a minute?" Alex wondered standing in the doorway hands in her jackets pockets. Luna nodded quickly before standing and leaving the room brushing past Alex in the doorway. Removing her hands from her pocket, Alex moved out of the doorway and closed the door behind her. Harry picked himself up off of the floor and onto the black clothed bench that was at the foot of the bed.

"Is this about the past week?" Harry questioned as she approached slowly.

"Past week?" She asked wondering what part of the week he was asking about. The part about the section lock or the fact that he barely saw her the past week.

"You know your entire section being on shutdown? Is this about whatever caused that?" He elaborated. Alex had to give him credit for that, he was observant, sometimes too observant.

"Kind of." Alex admitted. "Actually, it is. And I did that because I wanted a chance to decide if I wanted to tell you or not without any questioning about it. Hell, it took me a week to decide and some help from a friend. As you know, I tend to keep you and Sirius in the dark about most of the things that I do or that happen." She paused and Harry nodded watching her as she walked around the room.

"You're finally going to tell me about the crisis?" Harry suggested curiously. Alex shook her head not looking at him.

"No um, it's well. Remember how about four years ago you found out everything and I told you why I always left and the deal?" She questioned him. Harry nodded slowly wondering where this was going. "I told you that some things are best left unsaid and that's why I didn't tell you about the deal."

"Are-are you going to tell me about it?" Harry asked shocked, looking up at her. She nodded hesitantly.

"The deal was with Hades and I made it right after your mother died." Harry's eyes widened. "I asked Hades for this favor because I thought her dying was partly my fault. See I was supposed to be there that night but I wasn't, I was doing a favor for a friend and got caught up." Alex revealed leaving Harry stunned. "So, I told Hades that if he would make sure Lily went straight through to rebirth and when she was reborn she would have the same appearance and memories." She paused looking at Harry. He didn't say a word just looking at her, taking it as a cue to continue, "He said that he would if I did something for him. Hence, being his Chaser, I was valuable. And said the catch would be I would be a Chaser for fifteen years and at that time, on the day she was reborn fifteen years later, Lily would regain her memories. He was adamant about the fifteen years part." Alex took a deep breath and looked at Harry waiting for it to sink in and for him to respond.

It took a few minutes but Harry shook his head and stood and started pacing. "But it's been fifteen years." He stopped and stared at Alex. She nodded.

"I know and I thought she would come back but she hasn't and that day the section shutdown started, I went to speak to him. He said, he kept his side of the deal, she regained her memories but didn't know where she was or why she didn't come back. Only what his informant told him, which was that before the time came she vanished abruptly, not taking any of her things, just gone one day." Alex admitted. Harry licked his lips and sniffed.

"That's why you told me. Isn't it? Otherwise you wouldn't have told me until she either showed up or you could find her. Because that's how it always goes." Harry snapped bitterly. Alex closed her eyes and nodded shortly. Harry ran his hand through his hair pulling a few times as he leaned against the wall and slid down it onto the ground with his knees up and his elbows resting on them.

Knowing she was probably the last person he wanted to talk to, Alex left the room and went out to where Luna was standing outside the door. Alex sighed and looked at her.

"You heard?" She stated more than questioned, Luna nodded. Luna began to walk to the door to open it and enter the room when she turned back to face Alex.

"I don't blame you, you know? I understand it. If I could've made a deal to bring back my mum, I would, in a heartbeat. I know Harry won't blame you either, he'll just wish you told him sooner." Luna looked at her. Alex nodded shortly before turning and walking down the hall as Luna stared after her before she entered Harry's room, closing the door behind her and sat next to him on the floor. He didn't react.

"She didn't do it to hurt you." Luna said quietly, and when Harry didn't respond she continued, "I know you're more upset about the fact that she didn't tell you all these years than you are that she did it."

"She keeps everything from me, from my dad." Harry muttered sourly throwing his head against the wall behind them that they had their backs to. Luna nodded.

"She has her reasons." She assured him as she moved her head into the same position as his looking at the wall opposite them.

"How can you defend her?" Harry demanded, head snapping to look at Luna.

"Because before my mom died, she kept secrets too. It was to protect me really, from the truth. I found out after the fact, that I wasn't really a Lovegood, that I'm a partial because I'm not. That my magic comes from Hecate and it's just masked to be like witches." She revealed as shock passed over Harry's face. She never told him. "She does it to protect you. Because the things that happen in that world, that people have to do? It's not always good, my mom tried to shield me from it, much like how Alex does with you and Sirius. She's right, that some things are best left unspoken." Harry nodded in thought before leaning his head back against the wall and they just sat there in silence for a long time.

* * *

 ** _So, this chapter wasn't a whole lotta action at all. But upon some heavy thinking, Alex did reveal a very well-guarded secret, which I honestly hadn't even meant to do that yet but I kinda just wrote it and went with it and it fit. Next chapter we should see some more along with a short time skip. Hope you enjoyed. Thank you for all of the support on this story, it is very much appreciated! See ya next chapter! -DS_**

 ** _Please do me a solid and share your thoughts and reactions, it really helps me out and knowing what you guys really think about the story is important to me._**


	17. That Didn't Last Long

_**Enjoy!**_

* * *

 _ **How It Should've Been**_

 _ **Chapter 16: That Didn't Last Long**_

The next morning after Harry was positive he had everything packed, he shrunk his trunk and put on his jacket getting ready to leave. He had left his section of the house and was going to go downstairs when he made a quick decision and backtracked to Alex's section and leaned against her office door frame where she was standing behind the desk flipping through a file.

Clearing his throat to get her attention, Harry started when she looked up at him in surprise. "I don't blame you. I wish you told me sooner. But I don't blame you." He assured her. She nodded in response. "Just find her okay?" At her second nod, he turned and was about to leave when she called out.

"We okay?" She wondered watching him. He looked at her and nodded.

"Yeah, yeah we're good." He answered honestly to his own shock, and he meant it. He turned and left.

Days after Harry left on the train back to Hogwarts, Alex was walking into Hecate's Magical shop.

"Hecate! I need a favor!" Alex shouted as she walked right into Hecate's shop not bothering to knock, walking through and into the back where Hecate was standing over a cauldron. She looked up at Alex's arrival.

"What now?" She questioned going back to her potion.

"I need you to find someone for me." Alex shifted her weight foot to foot hands in her pockets.

"Who?" Hecate asked as she turned to grab something from a shelve.

"Lily Potter." At this Hecate spun around so fast the flask that was in her hand flew out of it and hit the wall and broke. Alex rose an eyebrow at her reaction.

"Alex, I thought you would've known this, I can't find dead people." Hecate sighed before snapping her fingers clearing the mess from the potion.

"Yeah about that, she's not exactly dead." Alex admitted and Hecate's eyes widened a fraction.

"Do I want to know?" She wondered looking at Alex. She shook her head and Hecate continued, "I'll see what I can do." She assured Alex before going back to work on the potion. Taking it as the end of the conversation, Alex left the shop.

Alex entered her apartment in New York to see a letter sitting on the accent table that was behind the leather couch. Opening it, she read.

 _Alex,_

 _So, you told Harry the truth, can't say we were expecting that. Then there's the fact you haven't told Sirius yet but that's not the point. The point is, we didn't believe it was time for that to be revealed but sadly we can't do anything about it now. Just remember for next time okay?_

 _-L &W_

"Dammit. I refuse to play this bloody game!" Alex shouted as she crumbled up the paper and threw it across the apartment in the direction of the door promptly hitting Hunter in the chest as he entered the apartment, closing the door behind him. Looking down at the paper ball at his feet he bent down and picked it up before uncrumpling it.

"Don't read th-" Alex started but was too late as he had already read the paper. His eyes widening by the sentence. He looked up from the paper and at her, eyes still wide.

"You get this too?" Hunter asked stunned after reading the paper in his hands. Alex's eyebrows shot up.

"Too? Wait you've gotten this as well?" She asked surprised, Hunter nodded.

"Yeah I thought I was the only one. I've even asked Hestia for help with this, she has no idea." He shook his head.

"Wait, you told her?" Alex exclaimed looking at him in shock.

"I trust her. She's a close friend to me. She cares, and was the only one I could turn to." He explained, Alex nodded in acceptance. It was her same reasoning when she told Jake, he was one of her oldest friends and always understood.

"Yeah, I have one of those, I get that. So, what do we do? They keep coming, wanting us to play this game. And it's like they know every move we make."

"We don't play." Hunter stated as if it was obvious. Alex rolled her eyes.

"Obviously we don't play. But I don't think they're getting the picture."

"Ignore it. The reaction, that's what they want, if we just don't react, don't play, don't give them what they want. They'll give up." Hunter reasoned, Alex nodded.

Months passed and not much happened in the godly world. It seemed Hunter was right. The same, sadly, could not be said for the wizarding world over in Britain. Death eater attacks started and over time became more consistent. At first it was random, once every three or so weeks, then it became every other week, then down to once a week. Now it was every five or so days that someplace was struck. Hogwarts was one of the few places that hadn't been hit yet.

Though things there wasn't much better, everyone worried for their families or fretted over one thing or another. Hermione seemed to notice the change in Harry over the months. She confronted him about it on a number of different occasions, concerned about him, but today was different, she was going to get answers.

Harry and Hermione were sitting on the floor in front of his bed leaning back against it with books surrounding them as they worked on homework. Harry turned his head and stared at her as she bit her lip and thought about what she was going to write before she wrote it. She must've sensed his gaze because she turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow.

"What?" She questioned curiously, Harry laughed. "What?" She demanded with a smile. He shook his head.

"Nothing." He smiled, she looked at him skeptically before she turned back to her work. Deciding to mess with her, Harry snatched her quill out of her hand and held it off to the side as she looked at him dumbfounded before lunging for it. He kept moving it until eventually her hand was gripping his that held the quill and she looked down at him. The book had been pushed out of his lap during the scuffle. Their faces inches apart with Harry looking slightly up and Hermione slightly down at her. Her eyes flicked to his lips once she realized how close they were. They could feel the others heavy breathing and Harry's eye's flicked down to her lips for a second before meeting her eyes.

They leaned in slowly, closing the small gap and sending one last look at the others lips before their eyes closed and their lips met a second after. It was sweet and slow before Harry lifted a hand to her neck pushing more firmly to her lips as her hand that wasn't holding his came up to his spiky hair running through it and stopping at the nape. Opening his mouth, Harry's tongue dashed out and swiped across her lips before being granted quick access meeting hers. She shifted her body slightly as she was already on his lap from their fight over the quill.

A resounding bang was heard seconds later from somewhere downstairs in the common room and they jumped apart, Hermione back on her place on the floor. Harry shifted and picked up his textbook placing it back on his lap in the spot that Hermione had just vacated.

"So, studying?" She suggested meeting his gaze. He nodded quickly.

"Studying works." He nodded as they both dropped the gaze and turned to their respective books but neither really reading them.

A knock rang through the room. Harry glanced at her as he stood and opened the door, it was Luna. Luna entered and opened her mouth about to speak when she spotted Hermione in her place on the floor. They had built a shaky friendship over the past months and didn't mind speaking or hanging out.

"I need to speak to Ryder for a second." Luna looked between the top of them practically feeling the tension. Hermione nodded and walked past them closing the door behind her but that was as far as she went before she stepped to the side, cast a disillusionment before leaning against the wall listening to the conversation through the door, lucky for her, the door wasn't nearly as sound proof as the wall. She had gotten distracted before and hadn't been able to ask any questions.

"What's wrong?" She heard Luna question muffled. There was some movement before a reply.

"We kissed." He blurted out causing Hermione to frown from her spot outside the door. "And over the past months she has been getting suspicious."

"That's your fault for choosing to like one of the smartest witches in this school." Luna sighed. "I mean really Harry, what were you thinking?" Harry? Hermione thought. Harry was certainly not a nickname for Ryder.

"I wasn't!" He exclaimed. There was a deep exhale of breathe. "I-I ran into her twice and-" He was cut off.

"And you were drawn to her." Luna finished for him. "That's how It always seems to work with you Potters. Going after the brightest witches." Luna laughed. Potter! Red flags went off in Hermione's head. Harry and Potter. This was Harry Potter. Thinking back, she connected the dots, dead parents, half blood, very vague about details. Ryder Cage was Harry Potter. He lied, granted she understood why he would but they were close friends. They had just kissed borderline snogging, at least it would've been if there wasn't a bang from who knows where. You-know-who was back and attacking and he was doing nothing, hiding. Anger blinding logic she disabled the disillusionment and burst in through the door to see Luna talking a boy with black hair spiky hair and emerald green eyes, wearing exactly what Ryder was only minutes before.

Both Luna and Harry's eyes went wide as they scrambled to fix it but she had already seen, it was too late. Hermione slammed the door behind her and looked between the two who were frozen in place.

"We have to go to Professor Dumbledore." Was the first thing she said as she moved forward and pulled Harry towards the door. Coming back to his senses, Harry yanked his arm out of her surprisingly strong grip dragging them both to a stop in the middle of the dorm.

"No!" Harry blurt out loudly. Hermione looked at him taken aback.

"What?" She exclaimed stunned.

"No, there is no way in bloody hell that I am going to that old bastard." Harry shook his head bitterly.

"But you have to!" Hermione argued.

"Like hell I do." Harry snapped.

"People are dying Ryder- Harry, whatever the hell your name is! Do you know how many people are dying every time there is an attack! You can stop him! But instead you're hiding as someone else!" Hermione shouted arms waving.

"The only reason I'm even here is because of the LAWS! Otherwise I would be back at my home, far away from this CURSED PLACE!" Harry yelled angrily.

"Cursed place?" Hermione repeated amazed. "This is where your parents grew up, met, lived. Everything and you don't even seem TO CARE." She retorted.

"And where they died." Harry snarled. "AND HE IS THE CAUSE OF IT!" Harry hollered pointing at the castle wall.

"And you can stop you-know-who! With Dumbledore's help! He just has to know you're here so he can help you!"

"DUMBLEDORE IS THE CAUSE OF ALL OF THIS!" Harry gestured to around them. "I don't want his help for anything! Hell, I don't need it! I already graduated school! All of this is useless to me!"

"Dumbledore is the leader of the light!" She countered. "He's the reason we are all here." She fought.

"Now that's delusional." Harry remarked snidely.

"Screw you. If you want to hide and let people die fine, but I'm not going to watch you do it." She snapped before she turned and stormed out of the room slamming the door behind her. Harry dropped his head as Luna looked him.

"You okay?" She questioned with concern evident. Harry shook his dropped head before he picked it up.

"No. No, I'm not. She was never supposed to find out." He just stared at the door she had walked out of.

Hermione, after storming from the room, made her way to the library, she got about halfway there when the portraits started shouting and ward alarms started blaring.

Death eaters started running through the halls looks for students after coming from the Room of Requirement via the vanishing cabins to that Theodore Nott had fixed up before going up to the astronomy tower to find Dumbledore. He was ready to do it but hesitated in casting the curse when Snape came up behind him and cast it before he had the chance to even recognize that he was there. Dumbledore was thrown over the railing of the tower and down to the ground hundreds of yards down.

Harry, without his disguise after hearing the alarm, was sprinting through the corridors looking for Hermione. She may be pissed at him right now but he didn't care. He had to find her. He sprinted around the corner and saw Hermione at wand point, he didn't slow down just continued on before slamming into her and before they hit the ground they disappeared in a torrent of flames.

They reappeared on a rooftop. Harry was laying on top of Hermione. Rolling off her he stood before grabbing her hand and pulling her up. She looked around once standing and saw they were on a packed roof top, music was playing loudly, and there were people all around dancing and drinking. It was a roof crowded with people.

"Where the hell are we?" She demanded, having to shout in his ear over the music after turning back to Harry.

"New York." Harry admitted shouting back. Her eyes widened comically at this admission. Her head whipped around but all she could see was people. "Come on!" He shouted as he reached for her hand and pulled her along with him through the mass amounts of beings. He stopped when he heard a voice.

"HOW WE DOING EVERYBODY?" A voice shouted from the stage when the music quieted a bit. The crowd responded screaming. Harry would've recognized that voice anywhere. "We own the building so don't worry about the noise, the only worry we might have is the surrounding buildings." The woman shouted. A resounding 'aw' could be heard across the crowds. "You know what? LETS WAKE THOSE LOSERS UP!" The woman in the leather jacket walked over to where the DJ was and pushed one of the sliders almost all of the way up causing the music to get louder, probably louder than it was originally. The crowd yelled and screamed with joy, dancing to the music with alcohol all around.

Harry starting moving again pulling Hermione along with him. They continued until they got to the side of the stage, where the person that addressed the crowd was walking down.

Harry rushed over to her. "Alex!" He exclaimed getting her attention. She turned her head to where the voice came from. Once she spotted him, she made her way over.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She demanded once she reached him.

"I had to go somewhere!" He shouted over the noise.

"Either way, why here? New York? You know you can't be here. You know your father would kill me, no wait both of us, if he found out you were here." She shouted over the music.

"That doesn't matter right now! We need to talk." Harry told her. Alex nodded before flicking her head in towards the left where the roof access door was before they made their way over to it. When Alex pulled open the door there was someone on the other side about the open the door.

"Alex! I need to talk to you!" Jake shouted the second he saw it was her.

"Apparently everyone does." She remarked before shouting, "What's wrong?" She asked as she walked in to the staircase with Harry and Hermione following.

"She's gone Alex! Hecate's gone!" Jake exclaimed causing Alex to stop in her tracks and whip around to face him.

"What do you mean Hecate's gone?!" She demanded.

"It's the game Alex. They getting you to play one way or another!" Jake told her.

"But why take Hecate? And how do you know that?" Alex asked.

"To get a player off the board. You asked Hecate for a favor that she now can't do. They're trying to take your other options. And because I got this." He reached into his inside jacket pocket and pulled out a letter before handing it to Alex. Alex took it before unfolding it and reading it.

 _So, Alex refuses to play. Hm, should've expected that. Let's see if she'll play if a goddess goes missing. Should that do it? Or maybe, it should be one that she asked the favor of? Yes, that seems like it'll do the trick. So, Jake, think you can convince Alex to play if your mother is one of the taken? That's right, we're creating a new category, the Taken. Now it's not just the Players and the GameMakers. Let's see if the stakes are high enough yet._

 _-L &W_

Alex reached the bottom of the page before her eyes widened. She shoved the letter against Jakes chest before taking off down the stairs. Harry and Jake exchanged looks before taking off down the stairs after her, with Hermione following behind Harry. They had to have run down at least four full stories before they saw the door to the level open. Rushing through it they saw Alex at the end of the hall in front of a door. She pushed the door lightly causing it to open wide.

Looking inside, she saw the place was a disaster zone. Stepping inside she called, "Hunter." When there was no answer she tried again louder this time.

"Here." Came a faint voice. Alex directed over to the voice and saw Hunter sitting on the floor with his arms resting on his knees, eyes shining and a letter beside him. "They took her." Alex looked at him before looking down at the paper next to him and picking it up reading it.

 _You refused, most of the time when someone refuses something, the other side try to sweeten the deal. Well, I don't know if that's exactly what you'd say we're doing. We're going to be taking your daughter. You know the one you just found out was your daughter? Tsk, tsk Hunter. That's right, you won't play the game, well here's what happens when you don't. We're adding a new category, it's not just the Players and the GameMakers anymore, but the Taken as well. Don't let anyone else fall into this category!_

 _-L &W_

Alex finished reading the letter and sighed put it back down on the floor. "Hunter- who?"

"Don't. There is nothing you can say to change this. It's my fault, I refused to play. I should've listened to the second letter, I should've played." Hunter rambled, Alex looked away at his words.

"Hunter, if you did that they, whoever the hell they are, they would've won."

"They already have." He looked at her, and Alex could see how little hope and fight he had left in him.

"No, they haven't. We are second to only the gods, we don't lose. And we certainly don't fall victims to these games." When he didn't response she continued. "Hey look, Hecate was taken too, but listen to me. We can win this. We can. So, get your ass up and flip over your flipped over stuff." She ordered as she walked back to where Harry was standing with Hermione beside him who was incredibly confused.

"Alright, now what's the problem?" She questioned when she reached them.

"Hogwarts-" He started.

"I'm sorry." Hermione shook her head in disbelief. "But who the hell are you?" She demanded looking at Alex. Alex brought her hand up to scratch her neck, not knowing how to answer.

"Alexandra Evans. My aunt." Harry answered quickly before looking back at Alex. "Hogwarts has been hit, Death Eaters are swarming the castle, and I'm pretty sure Dumbledore is more than likely dead." Harry revealed to Alex. Her eyebrows rose higher with every sentence in surprise.

"Is Luna okay?" She questioned worriedly. She didn't know what part this girl played in everything but knew she was important for some reason or another. Harry nodded and Alex could set that away from a minute.

"Yeah, I got her out when the alarms first started, she's at the house. By now she's told Sirius everything. But what's this game that Jake was talking about and these papers? Alex, what the hell is going on that you're not telling me about?" Harry demanded, Hermione looked between the two of them cautiously. Alex looked back at where Jake was helping Hunter flip the couch right side up and he met her eyes. Turning back to Harry, her jaw clenched.

"Look, that is not your problem right now. Your problem is-" She was cut off by a crashing sound coming from upstairs like at least two stories up. Alex and Jake shared a look before they both disappeared in flames and smoke. Hermione watched the two of them bewildered when suddenly she and Harry were enveloped in flames. They reappeared directly behind Alex as Hermione stumbled. Harry looked around and recognize did where they were. Outside Alex's apartment in which the door was busted in, almost completely off its hinges.

Alex and Jake walked in slowly ready to attack if needed. Just as they entered, someone came hurrying out of the office door which was behind the staircase. As soon as he saw all four of them standing there he held his hands up and everyone looked at his face and recognized him.

"Dad?" Harry blurted out shocked. Hermione looked at him.

"Your dad is Sirius Black?" She muttered amazed. Sirius looked at them before his eyes zoned in on Alex.

"Sorry about the door but I needed to talk to you urgently." Sirius apologized. Alex nodded and beckoned for him to continue while Jake closed the broken door behind them. "Luna's missing." Sirius burst out suddenly without preamble. Harry's, Hermione's, and Alex's eyes widened comically.

"That's not possible! I dropped her at the house!" Harry exclaimed. Sirius nodded. He was there.

"I know, but look it'll be easier if I just retell what happened." He began and started the story.

 _Sirius assured Luna he would be right back after she told him she would floo her dad to let him know she was okay and Sirius got a call from Amelia to meet her at Hogwarts grounds._

 _"What's the count?" Sirius asked Amelia quietly as she approached him, where he was pacing in front of the broken gates, and started walking next to him._

 _"At least twenty students are dead. Another dozen injured minor or majorly. And.." She trailed off. Sirius looked at her._

 _"What?" He beckoned. She stopped causing him to stop as well._

 _"Dumbledore's dead. His body was found at the bottom of the astronomy tower." She looked away and stared at the castle. Sirius's eyes widened. While he didn't so much as actually care that Dumbledore died, he cared because to everyone else, Dumbledore was their leader. And now that he was dead, people might lose whatever hope they had, pull students from Hogwarts after this and his death. Nothing was looking up right now._

 _"Can we make this sound any less bad for the public?" Sirius suggested hopefully._

 _"As much as I wish we could, it's not possible. So many people already know, we can't contain this." She answered solemnly._

"So, then we discussed it more, talked and I left to go back to check on Luna. When I got back, I couldn't find her all throughout the house so I thought maybe she left to her dad's but then I called to check in and he said he hadn't seen her since she floo called him to tell him she was okay. I can't find her." Sirius said desperately shaking his head leaning on his hands against the accent table. Harry turned and angrily punched the wall next to the door putting a hole in it. Alex didn't even react or tease him about left only thinking.

Why would they take Luna? Alex wondered in her head. Shaking it she rubbed her eyes when Jake nudged her. She looked at him and he gestured at the kitchen. She nodded and led him into the kitchen.

"What?" She questioned softly as while it wasn't super close, it was connected to the rest of the apartment and was fully open.

"Hunters letter said they would take his daughter. One he just found out about. Did you know he had a daughter?" Jake asked. Alex shook her head.

"No and from the wording I don't think he did either until recently. Why? What are you getting at?" Alex wondered curiously. Jake looked at the rest of the group, none of them were looking at them and he turned to face Alex.

"What if the girl from fifteen years ago, Luna, is his daughter?" Jake suggested. Alex immediately shook her head in denial.

"No, that's not possible that girl acted like a lightning partial…" She trailed off looking ahead. "The girl was taken by Hecate and given magic but she was a partial. Just like Luna." She looked at Jake in realization. He nodded, everything fit. This is why she was important. It all made sense now. The only problem was she was taken, and nobody knew how to get her back.

"Fuck."

* * *

 _ **Whatcha think? Anyone expecting that? I know I wasn't. This chapter wrote itself, like seriously. I didn't plan for any of this to happen but as I wrote, I just took it and ran with it. I had decided about a chapter ago that I was going to have Luna be Hunters daughter, had no idea how I was going to introduce that or get to it but apparently this is how I am.**_

 _ **Anyway! Hope you all enjoyed! Thank you for all of the support given in this story so far and this chapter. If you haven't noticed these last few chapters have been upwards of 3k(14 clocking in at over 6k, 15 at about 3.5k and this one at about 4.5k) which sometimes I struggle to get 2k but these last few chapters, the plot and pace have really picked up and I've been coming up with all of these great ideas and like constantly writing it. It's awesome. Alright well, as always, I'm DarkSuspense and I'll see ya next chapter!**_

 ** _Share your thoughts and reactions? I always love to see what you guys think!_**


	18. Drastic Measures

_**Enjoy! Double chapter for you! Expect chapter 18 on Monday!**_

* * *

 _ **How It Should've Been**_

 _ **Chapter 17: Drastic Measures**_

"Fuck."

Alex and Jake were thinking about the implications this could have when the sound of arguing drew their attention. Sharing a look, they returned to the group to find Harry and Hermione arguing.

"Dumbledore is DEAD! We are all doomed!" Hermione snapped angrily. Alex looked to Sirius questioningly, he shook his head and shrugged.

"If you want to base this off of Dumbledore, then you've always been doomed!" Harry retorted.

"How dare you! Dumbledore was the leader of the light! The only one you-know-who is afraid of!" Hermione cried.

"I think you mean was afraid of." Harry corrected. "Oh, and by the way, his title as leader of the light was self-proclaimed bull. You can't be leader of a side in a war when you refuse to take action in said war." Harry fired back.

"Well at least he did more than you! You hid like a coward!" Hermione retorted shortly. Harry blinked, shocked by her words. Alex, Sirius and Jake all held their breath while exchanging looks and waiting to see what would happen.

He didn't shout, or yell. His voice was deathly calm and quiet when he spoke. "Never call me a coward, ever again." His words carried the more danger in the tone than yelling ever could. Much like his mother and aunt, his words carried much more power when he was deathly calm especially when it was a situation when everyone would expect anything else. Anyone would much rather be on the receiving end of yelling than that. Everyone released the breath they were holding when they realized that marked the end of the argument. Harry turned to look at Alex and Jake. "Either of you have a way to track her?" He questioned quietly.

Alex and Jake glanced at the other meeting eyes. An unspoken agreement made. Alex looked away and back to Harry. "Um I think going after Voldemort right now would be a better move." When Harry opened his mouth to argue, she continued. "We don't know who took her or how and Voldemort basically just launched a nuke at the wizarding world." She reasoned as she made sure to choose her words carefully to not give anything away. Harry's jaw clenched as his hands came to rest on his hips as he looked down before nodding slightly.

"I get that but Alex, this is Luna." There was a hint of hidden desperation that leaked through into his voice.

Sighing, Alex looked to Sirius for backup. While they had made up, mostly, they still hadn't talked much since. He nodded in understanding. "Harry, I know what she means to you but Alex is right. Right now, the entire wizarding world is at stake and that isn't something we can put off." Sirius tried.

"Neither is Luna!" Harry snapped before he turned and stormed out of the apartment walking past the mostly fallen in door. Everyone remained silent.

It wasn't until the next day that anyone even saw Harry again. Only when Alex, Sirius and Hermione arrived at the Potter house in London did they find him sitting in the destroyed living room at home. Apparently, he decided to take his anger out on the living room furniture. No words were spoken about it, they all could relate. They understood the feeling of being helpless, the risk of someone you care about dying and how the anger about the situation can be overwhelming. It wasn't until a tapping was heard in the next room in the kitchen any of them moved. Alex left the living room, entering the kitchen and taking the delivery. It was a copy of the Daily Prophet, which honestly wouldn't seem that unusual if they had actually subscribed to the Prophet. Frowning, Alex read the note attached.

 _You have to see this. -AB_

Was written in a neat cursive. AB, Amelia Bones. Tossing the little note on the island counter, Alex unfolded the paper starting from the front page as her eyes widened at the headline.

 _HOGWARTS ATTACKED! SELF-PROCLAIMED LEADER OF THE LIGHT DEAD! HOGWARTS FALLEN AT HANDS OF DARK LORD & DEATH EATERS_

Even knowing the Prophet was normally full of lies and written by attention seeking idiots, Alex knew they wouldn't be that stupid. Nobody would be that stupid as to announce that, all it would do is create fear and a crap ton of panic. Realizations as to what this meant quickly entered Alex's head. The only way this would get printed would be if it's purpose was to cause panic. Cursing under her breath, Alex gave a shout calling the other three into the kitchen. When they entered confused, she tossed the newspaper down on the island facing them with a smack. Reading it, Sirius swallowed hard. He too, knew what this meant.

"Why would the Prophet print this?" Hermione questioned confused. "They had to have known the reaction this will cause." Alex and Sirius shared a look. Harry looked up from the paper silently but his eyes held the same question.

"That's the point. They want that reaction. The fear, the panic. It's the point of it." Alex revealed. Hermione furrowed her brows and shook her head.

"But why? Why would they-" She was cut off.

"Because Voldemort is controlling the Prophet." Harry realized looking to Alex for confirmation and received a nod. "He wants to strike fear and make everyone loss hope." Harry continued sourly. He shook his head angrily and clenched his fists. "You were right. About finding Luna. But she's my best friend, I can't just abandon her. I can't, I-"

"I know." Alex cut him off. "Listen to me, I promise- I promise you. We will find her and we will get her back. No if, ands or buts. Straight and simple. We will get her back. But you have to trust me, right now? Right now, is not the time to be picking another fight, as soon as this one is won, we find her." Alex assured him looking at Harry. He swallowed and steeled his eyes.

"Promise?"

Alex nodded, "Promise." Harry looked at Hermione and Sirius. The people in this room were all he had left. He wasn't about to lose anyone else, and that meant sticking together.

"Then let's fight this war."

* * *

The next day found Alex, Sirius, Harry and Hermione standing in one of the rooms least used recently in the house. The command room. It was technically in Alex's wing of the house. They set up the maps of London and England and the big places where death eaters struck previously and the purpose they served. Hogwarts, Diagon Alley, Daily Prophet were the big ones that they could guess the purpose off but this still didn't leave them any indication of what might be hit next.

"Why don't you go to the Ministry and talk to Amelia?" Alex suggested, with all of them at a loss at what the next move may be, it was their best option. Nodding Sirius left the room.

Less than half an hour later Sirius entered the room, which was now only occupied by Harry and Hermione, looking worse for wear with cuts randomly along his arms and shirt. Harry was the first to notice as he sprung up and went to him.

"What happened?" Harry demanded. Sirius frowned and stepped passed him to sit and take a deep breathe.

"Think we found what their next target was." Alex said as she entered the room only to take in the site. "Huh. Guess you did to." She remarked as she approached.

"The Ministry." Sirius started before shaking his head. "They were there already when I arrived. The fighting had already started but when it got to a point that it was-it was pointless. There were to many fallen and I left." Sirius retold the events. "The Ministry has fallen." He announced sadly as the other three occupations in the room exchanged grave looks.

Days later found Alex in her own study talking with Jake and the rest of the group off in other areas of the house.

"Jake. Do you think it's possible to link the same magical signature on more than one thing together?" Alex questioned causing Jake to look at her thoughtfully.

"I suppose. Yeah." He answered nodding.

"And could you do it?" She continued.

He nodded again, "If I had a signature sample to use to create the link."

"And it would work as if one fell, they all would?"

"Typically. If the source of the signature died then everything with the signature would as well."

"Perfect." Alex turned and started walking towards the door.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Jake questioned confused.

"To go get a signature!" Alex called as she left closing the door behind her.

Alex arrived back all of an hour later in a flurry of flames along with a limp person. Jake looked up at her arrival before his eyes widened.

"What the hell is that?" He exclaimed wildly. She turned her attention to him at his question and looked at what he was pointing at.

"The signature. Well to be more exact…" She crouched down next to the person and picked up their limp arm and showed it to him. "This is." She pointed to the Dark mark on his arm. Jake's eyes widened in realization.

"You want me… to link all of the Dark Mark signatures to Voldemort." He stated once the pieces fell together. Alex stood and nodded.

"That's the goal." She let the man's arm drop. Jake sighed.

"Are you sure you want me to do this?" He wondered hesitantly.

"Do what?" Hermione questioned curiously as she entered the room only to stop in her tracks upon seeing the unconscious man on the ground and blinked quickly a few times.

"Link all of the Dark marks together to Voldemort's life and signature." Alex filled in. Hermione's eyes widened comically.

"What?!" She shrieked loudly. "If Voldemort dies then they all would!" She exclaimed. Alex nodded slowly.

"That's kind of the point." Alex revealed.

"That would kill over a hundred people! You're talking about committing mass murder!" Hermione cried stunned.

"Yeah see I don't really think of it that way. I think of it as more of ending a war in one foul swoop. See? Doesn't sound as bad." Alex joked.

"You can't do this! You want to kill all of them! What if some of them didn't take the mark willingly?" Hermione countered. Alex frowned.

"There is no 'not taking it willingly' that's not possible." Alex remarked with a scoff.

"What are you talking about?" Hermione demanded as Alex rolled her eyes.

"You have to commit an inhuman act to prove loyalty." When Hermione raised an eyebrow, she continued. "You know, rape, murder, arson. Something of that nature." She explained.

"And how would you know that?" Hermione questioned suspiciously narrowing her eyes.

"My sisters former best friend turned into a death eater with regrets." Alex stated simply.

Shaking her head, Hermione protested. "I can't allow you to do this. This is wrong."

"It's wrong?" Alex narrowed her eyes and slowly walked closer only to stop feet away. "What about what they do? They torture, rape and kill whoever the hell they want. Would you rather that they do that to hundreds of other innocents? How about you? Or your parents? Is that what you would prefer? Because that's what they'll do if we let them live!" Hermione swallowed but didn't answer or move. "So, I suggest you either get over it or make sure you're not in my way. Because I don't care who you are, if you're in my way, I won't hesitate to remove you from it." Alex warned lowly.

"What's going on here?" Harry questioned as he and Sirius entered the room and took in the scene.

"Just a small difference in opinion on how to go about things." Alex smiled. Hermione laughed.

"Small difference? How is wanting to commit mass murder small?" This drew Harry's and Sirius's attention to Alex as they looked between the two and spared a look at Jake who had been extremely quiet then to the guy on the floor.

"Mass murder?" Sirius asked cautiously.

"She wants to link all of the death eaters to you-know-who by the Dark mark. So that if he dies, they all die. Which is wrong! They should be brought to justice not killed!" Hermione fought.

"It does seem a bit extreme." Sirius agreed slowly while Harry remained silent as Alex was looking at Harry waiting for his opinion.

"You think it will help end this as soon as possible?" Harry questioned. Alex nodded. "Then I'm not going to stand in the way." He turned and left the room without another word. Hermione gaped after him while Sirius frowned.

Alex turned to look at Jake. "Do it." She stated before exiting the room leaving Hermione, Sirius and Jake alone in silence.

"You're not actually going to do it just because she said to, are you?" Sirius wondered breaking the silence. Jake bite his lip.

"While I may agree, it may seem a little extreme, it is the most efficient option. And typically, when it comes to winning wars, Alex has done it more than just about anyone I know." Jake admitted.

"But letting her do this? This is inhuman. How can she be willing to do that? Something so heartless? And with no emotion?" Hermione exclaimed.

"Honestly probably pretty easily." When Hermione gaped, he continued. "You two view the world different than Alex or even Harry does. They see the world for what it is and all of its darkness and understand the need to delve into it. You can't win a war fighting the darkness if you're not willing to use it. You just can't. Alex proved that to me a long time ago. I had a view point similar to yours." Jake revealed. "And it almost got me killed. Because I tried to save someone that couldn't be saved. Someone there was no justice for. Someone that didn't deserve it. But I refused to see that, and I almost paid the price but Alex was the one who saved my ass. And we've been friends ever since." Jake flicked his hand causing the still unconscious man to disappear in smoke before he started for the door.

"But you've probably made some morally questionable choices since then, haven't you?" Hermione asked. Jake turned back to face then when he was a few feet from the door and nodded.

"I have." He admitted. At this Hermione smiled as she proved her point but it faded quickly when she heard what he said next. "But I haven't regretted a single one of them. Maybe there will be one I regret one day but it definitely won't be this one." And with that he turned and left the room.

* * *

 _ **Wow, Alex getting heartless, well more heartless. Now this isn't to make Harry look inhumane for not opposing what Alex is planning, it's to show just what lengths he's willing to go to without Luna, his best friend, by his side. Alex, well she just is willing to go to any extremes to do what's necessary. Yes, I know this chapter does make Hermione look like a bitch but if you really think about it, it's not the intention. The point is to show the difference in how they see the world. She doesn't have the same experiences and doesn't understand war. So, don't hate on her.**_

 _ **This was a shorter chapter than the last few I know but really, I think it lost its flow around here. So, hope you enjoyed! Thank you for all the support and see you next chapter! -DS**_

 ** _Leave your thoughts and reactions in the reviews? They honestly do really help more than you could know!_**


	19. You'll Be Begging

_**Enjoy!**_

* * *

 _ **How It Should've Been**_

 _ **Chapter 18: You'll Be Begging**_

 _Next Day_

"Alight, it's done. Now what?" Jake questioned as he entered the kitchen where Alex was reading a newspaper and he moved to stand in front of her. Looking up from the paper she thought.

"Well, now we just have to…" She trailed off as she stood looking just beyond Jake's shoulder.

Not noticing that she wasn't looking at him, Jake looked at her concerned. "You okay?"

"You see that too right?" It was clear now that Alex wasn't looking at him but behind him. Frowning, he turned and looked where her gaze was frozen on. There was a bird, or more specially a bird as dark as midnight holding a letter but it wasn't that letter that stopped them, it was the birds eyes. They were red, blood red.

"Yeah, I see it." Jake confirmed not taking his eyes from the bird. "What do we do?" He questioned.

"Lock the window?" Alex suggested seriously when the bird lifted one of its talons and started scratching something on the window creating a high pitched screech. Wincing, the two looked away for seconds only to look back and the bird to be gone with the letter just laying on the outside sill, but what really worried them was the symbol the bird etched onto the window pane, the Dark Mark. Exchanging a look and taking a breathe, Alex moved forward and looked out the window before opening it and pulling the letter inside before closing it again. Walking past Jake to begin exiting the kitchen when he spoke.

"It's gone." He whispered in disbelief. Alex turned to face him only to see him still looking at the window. Looking at it her eyes widened slightly before she went closer standing right in front of it and looking at it. It was gone, the symbol was gone. Shaking her head, she blinked several times before looking again, still gone.

"Hey." Harry greeted as he entered the kitchen. When he saw them staring at the window his brows furrowed. "What's wrong?" Both of them turned to face him before Alex nodded to Jake. It wasn't the time for lying, at least not about things concerning Voldemort.

"There was a bird, as black as night and with eyes as red as blood. He had a letter and when we didn't open the window, he scratched a symbol onto it." Jake explained.

"What symbol?" Harry questioned confused looking between the two of them.

"The Dark Mark." Alex answered as Harry's jaw clenched. "Then when we looked again, it was gone. Like it never happened."

"Have you opened the letter?" Harry asked no hesitation. Alex shook her head.

"Can't." She flipped the letter in her hands to show the front to him. There was red writing on the outside of the black envelope.

 _When The Time Is Right All Will Be Revealed_

The seal was blood red with another Dark Mark etched into it. Obviously the sender was not doing anything to hide who they were. No matter how hard they tried to open it, the seal didn't budge.

"There's been another attack!" Hermione burst into the room causing them all to whip around to face her. Alex set the letter down on the counter face up as the three of them followed after Hermione towards the command room.

Upon entry, Sirius and Amelia turned to face them looking grim.

"What happened?" Alex questioned as they stood around the table.

"A home was attacked. The parents found dead, one in the hall and the other in the nursery. There was a child, about a year old, also found dead in his crib. The woman looked to have died protecting him." Amelia revealed. With each sentence Amelia spoke, more realization dawned on Alex before she turned on her heel and left the room leaving the rest of the group surprised. Harry frowned and looked at the paper Amelia passed around again, taking care to read the details. His eyes widened as realization also dawned on him and he to left the room in search of Alex.

He caught up with her in her study. He entered the room as Alex was leaned over her desk reading a paper.

"I didn't get it at first." Harry said quietly as he announced his presence which in hindsight, she probably already knew he was there. Looking up she met his eyes and nodded. "I don't think any of them did either." Harry smiled sadly as he entered he room further. "Because none of them know." Harry paused.

Licking her lips Alex rose from her bent position. "Really? I thought I taught you to be more subtle than that. I know what your getting at." As Harry's raised his eyebrows she continued. "You want me to tell them. About the deal, her going missing. Yeah, I get it. But it's a no. I'm not telling any of them." Alex shot down. Harry huffed angrily.

"Why the hell not?" He snapped.

"Because then the taunts will mean something to them. It will give him a way to hurt them. And in the end? That's all that will be coming from this, hurt. Because I have no clue in hell where she is or even what happened. And she's more than likely dead right now, okay? Again." Alex shook her head before meeting Harry's eyes. "And I am trying to save Sirius from that loss again, you didn't see him last time. You were the only thing that kept him together for a long time. So I am trying to spare him from this." Alex moved around the desk and started walking past Harry.

"What about you?" Harry questioned turning to face her as she came to stop.

"What about me?" She shrugged.

"I'd be willing to bet Sirius isn't the only one that was hurt and lost when they died! When my mom, your sister died! So stop trying to make it seem like you aren't affected by this to." Harry commented. "I refuse to believe it. Show me what you are really feeling!"

"You'd lose that bet. I wasn't lost or hurt when she died, I was guilty." Alex pursued her lips. "And then I was emotionless. For a long time, I didn't care, I chose not to feel emotional pain. I did that for almost six years. Surely you remember it? I was a sarcastic ass. And I still am. Yeah maybe I did start caring again about someone other than myself but I didn't for so long it is hardwired. Self-preservation! Surely you, could at least understand that? So yes! I care about getting her back, and I will move heaven and hell to do that, I mean really? I kind of already did. But this?" She gestured to herself. "This is how I respond. I don't get hurt, I don't feel lost. I fight back. And I think we both know, that Sirius isn't even close to the same way. Because I don't get sad, I get even." And with that, Alex left the room only for Hermione to enter less than two minutes later.

"You okay?" She questioned not meeting his eye. Harry instantly knew that she heard at last the back end of that conversation.

"At much as I can be." He looked down and ran a hand through his short hair.

"She didn't mean it." She tried to make him feel better. Harry shook his head in denial.

"No, no she did. She's right. That's who she is. I mean, I've lived with her for years, I know its true. I seen it. She's completely capable of being emotionless, of shutting it off."

"It's not possible to stop caring or to not feel emotions." Hermione pointed out.

"For Alex, it is. I don't know how, but she can. Maybe it's part of her self control. She's always in control, never does anything without reason even if it's to get even with someone. It's who she is, she will do what she wants at any costs." Harry sighed and sat on the floor leaning back against Alex's desk as Hermione joined next to him. "You shouldn't have done that yesterday. Tried to get in the way." Harry commented.

"I had to. What she wants to do? It's heartless, just killing them all. They need justice not death." Hermione shook her head. "And not feeling anything, that's like the definition of a sociopath."

"No, it's not like that. She's felt guilt before, she still does for some things, she's just hella good at compartmentalizing and justification, and not showing it. It's all control. And about the justice?" Harry sighed. "Sometimes, they're the same thing." When Hermione went to speak, he cut her off. "This is war. This is Alex's way of ending it. You may not like it, or think it's cruel and immoral, but it will be saving so many innocent lives. And at the end of the day, that's all we can really aim for."

Hermione nodded reluctantly in understanding and the two continued side by side on the floor in silence left to their silent companion and their thoughts.

"Another house was hit, same thing." Sirius announced when they reentered the room nearly an later. Amelia and Sirius were in the room but Alex was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Alex?" Harry wondered out loud.

"Went to go check out the site." Sirius answered looking up at him.

Alex walked in through the broken door and stepped over the debris at the threshold looking around. The house layout was similar to one that was oh so familiar. Going up the stairs quietly, the first site that greeted her was a man lying on the floor in the hall. Not bothering to check on him as she already knew the result, she continued to where the open door of the nursery was in plain site. Entering, she could see it was set up exactly how it was fifteen years ago, just in a different house and this time, the boy wasn't alive.

Stepping closer to the crib, Alex took a glance inside. A piece of parchment was laying next to the boy. Picking it up, Alex read.

 _Looks Like He Died. Wasn't Right. Third Times The Charm? Or Maybe It's Just The Place?_

Crumbling up the letter, Alex set it ablaze before striding out of the nursery and then the house all together. This was going to happen one more time and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it. It probably already happened, but she did know where to find the last set.

That was how she wound up five minutes later entering the destroyed Potter Cottage in Godric's Hollow and walking up the stairs to find a man lying in the hall, woman on the nursery floor in front of the crib and a one year old boy crying in the crib. On the wall behind the crib written in dripping blood was:

 _Now It's Right_

That's all it took before it clicked for Alex as her mind went back to the letter. When The Time Is Right All Will Be Revealed. This was all one big game. All to what? Prove a point? Piss someone off? What? Shaking her head, Alex left the house with only one destination. The counter that the letter was laying on.

When she entered the kitchen, she went straight to the counter only to find it void of the letter. Looking around the kitchen turned up nothing. Fed up, Alex stormed into the command room that now only housed Harry and Jake.

"Where is it?" Alex demanded roughly. Jake and Harry exchanged a look and furrowed their brows.

"Where's what?" Harry questioned thrown by her entry.

"The letter." She snapped angry. Jake swallows before going over the desk in the corner of the room and opening the drawer and pulling something out before coming back and setting it on the table in front of Alex.

Picking it up roughly and tearing the seal, Alex pulled the folded parchment from the envelope and unfolded it before she began reading the page. As she read on, Harry and Jake could see her eyes flashed and her face darken in barely concealed anger before she took a breathe and suddenly all emotion was whipped from her face as she finished the letter before she folded it up again.

"I have to go." She began walking past them leaving them shocked when Harry called out just as she was about to push the door open.

"Wait! What did it say?" Harry demanded. He knew there were not many things that could get that reaction from his aunt and it only worried him more. Alex frowned, before looking away and think for a second. Looking back at Harry, she extended the letter to him to read. Harry's eyes narrowed fractionally for a second before he took it and unfolded it again and begun to read.

 _Hogwarts Dungeons if you want to see Lily Potter again. You have ten minutes before she's dead, again that is. No time to waste. – Yours Truly, The Dark Lord_

As soon as she handed him the letter, Alex had disappeared in electricity. After Harry finished the letter, he tossed it back onto the table and also disappeared in flames leaving Jake standing in the middle of the room.

Harry appeared only a few feet behind Alex as she hadn't moved yet. Turning back to look at him, she didn't protest him being there. She knew there was nothing she could say that would change anything.

Alex turned back to looking forward and started walking through the halls with Harry following shortly behind. They continued walking until they came upon an closed door. All of the others were open. Exchanging a look, Alex pushed open the door to see a room well lit with the lanterns hanging from the walls. It was a decently sized room, probably about twenty by twenty and was completely barren. Walking further into the room, they were in the left part of the room when the door closed and a figure appeared only feet in front of it. A figure that couldn't be mistaken for anyone else, ever.

"Voldemort." Harry realized quietly. "Where is my mother?" Harry demanded.

Voldemort held up a magical picture with a evil grin, it was Lily begging in a cell.

"Mom." Harry breathed out in realization.

"You see Atlas was just a distraction, took the gods attention and yours. You never knew that I had found and took her. I did hope that he would be more of a distraction but he served his purpose. " Voldemort taunted. "By the time she remembered it was to late. I turned her minutes after she remembered, I wanted her to see my face, to feel despair."

"Don't do this." Alex warned. Doing this, it would be unimaginable.

"To late." Voldemort smirked as he snapped his fingers, the picture disappeared and Lily appeared, chained, on the floor, but it was as cursed living corpse.

"You made her an inferni." Alex snarled as lights began flickering in her anger. That should've been his first warning sign. Voldemort cackled, as the chains that were holding her vanished and she sprung forward going straight at Harry. He froze seeing his dead mother rushing him with the intention to attack him. Alex noticing his inability to move disappeared in flames. Lily collided with Harry knocking them both to the ground. Lily was on him inches away from ripping his throat open when a sword went through her stomach. For a seconds her dead eyes flickered emerald green and a wave washed over her body restoring it. Her eyes flickered again her soul fighting the curse, her human side won out and her eyes remained emerald green as she collapsed to the side and off of Harry.

The sword clattered to the ground and Alex knelt next to Lily gripping her hand. Harry shaking himself out of his shock moved into his knees and stared down at his mother, grasping her other hand. Tears filled his eyes.

"No, no, please." He pleaded over and over. "Not again. Please." He begged. Lily looked up at him pulling her hand out of his and bringing it slowly to his face where she cupped his cheek causing Harry to automatically lean into her touch.

"My beautiful boy." She gasped out. "I-I'm so proud of you. I-I lo-love y-you." She stammered out as the blood rose. Alex's hand glowed orange in Lily's hand as she tried to repair the damage.

"Why can't I fix it?" She shouted angrily, all of their eyes holding tears. Lily shook her head as much as she could and lowered her hand from Harry's cheek back into his hand.

"It's okay." She coughed out. "D-doesn't h-hurt. T-take c-care of Harry. P-please." She pleaded as strongly as she could as she lay there bleeding out. She held Alex's gaze as Alex nodded quickly. "T-thank y-you. I l-love y-" She didn't finish as she took her last shuddering breath and her eyes glazed over, the life leaving them. Tears streamed down Harry's face as he clutched her hand tighter. He shook his head vehemently, refusing to believe. Alex wasn't much better.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She repeated lowering her forehead to rest against Lily's hand that she was holding in both of her own.

"No, no, please. I can't lose you again. I can't- I can't! Please!" Harry pleaded over Lily's body. At this moment, Sirius kicked open the door at the other end of the room and rushed in but didn't get more than two feet across the twenty feet distance when he took in what was going on. Hermione rushed in right behind him and when he stopped abruptly she crashed into him. Seeing he stopped she followed his line of sight before gasping. Alex and Harry were knelt over Lily Potter's body both holding onto one of hands. But even from the distance, they could tell she was gone. Tears collected in Sirius's eyes.

Memories flashed before Sirius's eyes. Watching Lily get sorted, her laugh, hearing all about James and Lily's first date, seeing the ring, hearing she said yes, watching them say 'I do', when they announced that they were expecting Harry, finding her and James dead. The memories kept coming one after another, only staying for seconds at a time.

Suddenly Alex stood, turning to face Voldemort where he stood with a smug smirk on his face. Thunder boomed over head as everyone could hear the rain pound and the ground shook. The hanging wall lights tapped against the wall and flickered. Alex's eyes flashed and crackled with power as the entire room shook.

None of them fully realized it in that moment but news reports were going wild as a category four hurricane formed out of practically nowhere with no warning. The oceans were rocking with waves crashing into the shores and lightning struck across the sky with thunder booming.

Electricity crackled along Alex's skin as Voldemort was thrown back several feet into and through the wall behind him into the next room. Alex began slowly walking forward and with each step flames flared under her feet when they made contact with the ground. Sirius shivered with anxiousness, he, nor anyone else had ever seen Alex this angry, giving off as much power as she was.

Hermione went to move forward to Harry when Sirius stuck his arm out blocking her. She looked at him and he nodded in Harry's direction. Harry was still kneeling over Lily clutching her hand but magic was rolling off of him in waves along the ground. The air became thick and tense with magic.

"You set up that sick, twisted display just for fun!" Alex snapped grabbing Voldemort, pulling him up only to punch him and send his straight back down again. He laughed sadistically and spit blood.

"I see it worked." He taunted. Alex's eyes flashed again, as she lifted him and shoved him against the wall, fire and electricity dancing dangerously in her eyes.

"I may not be able to do it now, at least not permanently. But I will kill you, I will burn you to a crisp and make you into ash before you even have a chance to move. I will draw it out, I will burn and heal and burn and heal you again if I have to but you will feel pain. Pain like you have never felt or even inflicted before. I will break you." Alex promised. Her tone held the power of the threat. Voldemort barely wavered, but he did, for just a second.

"You can't kill me!" He laughed. "I'm immortal!" He yelled with glee.

"Nobody magical is truly immortal. The gods don't allow it. Hades himself has taken a certain distaste to you. He will greet you at the doors of hell and promise you an afterlife of misery. And I will be the one to ensure you get it. Now I know your horcrux's keep you from dying completely, but they don't stop you from it completely either. You have one left. I will find it, and I will destroy it. And while I do that, your going to experience just a taste of what you'll be experiencing for the rest of eternity." Alex smirked, Voldemort's expression changed when he heard 'one'.

"That's not possible." He denied.

"Oh, but it is." Alex nodded. "Have a fun trip to hell. And when you get back, I'm won't be holding back, and I won't hold my nephew back. Because I know you can feel the magic pouring out of him, the air thickening. That's him. And the only thing keeping him at bay, is me. And I promise you, that as much as I hate you, his face, will be the last thing you see standing over you, before you die for good. He will be the one delivering that final blow, because you have taken the most from him. And he will be the one that takes the only thing you value from you, your life. You will be begging for death when you get back." Alex warned as a dagger entered his midsection. Gasping, he looked down as she let him go and fell to his knees coughing blood as the light faded from his eyes. He'd be back and it would be the last time.

* * *

 ** _Woah, that got dark as all hell(see what I did there?) anyway, I would say hope you enjoyed but considering the fact that I just wrote off Lily again, it would be super cold to have enjoyed that. But! Things are heating up, as you can see Alex is certainly a dark person in terms of hellish revenge(last time, promise ;)_**

 ** _Anyone, thank you for all of the support, the next chapter will be the last in terms of the Voldemort Arc and then we get into an arc of my own personal creation and one I am really looking forward to. We've seen hints of it over the course of the story but now it will be front and center and it will really pack a punch. Hope your looking forward to it as much as I am, and see you next chapter. -DS_**

 ** _Leave your thoughts and reactions in the reviews? They really mean a lot and help more than you know!_**


	20. A Not So Vacation In Hell

**_Enjoy!_**

* * *

 ** _How It Should've Been_**

 ** _Chapter 19: A Not So Vacation In Hell_**

"Ah you're awake!" A voice said from somewhere. Voldemort blinked slowly trying to evade the blurriness in his vision as his memories came flooding back and one of his hands went straight to his midsection. When he didn't feel anything, he shot straight up and looked down. There was no blood to be seen, and no searing pain but that wasn't what really drew his attention. It was his arm. Looking at it, he turned it all around before shaking his head and squeezing his eyes closed before opening again and the site still hadn't changed. In shock, he flipped onto his hands and knees and rose into a standing position before he looked down at his body and patted it.

"What happened to me?" He demanded and looked up trying to find the voice from before. In front of him was a throne, with a man sitting in it with his legs up. The man was dressed in all black and the room and throne were also as black as night.

"Well if you hadn't noticed already, you're back in your sixteen year old body." The man answered.

"What? Where am I? How do you know who I am?" The questions came out angrily with a heated look.

"Tsk tsk." The man taunted. "No need to rush all of the information out. That takes the fun from it. But nonetheless, I will answer. You, , are in hell. I know who you are because you are quite frankly a pain in my ass. Do you realize the amount of paperwork you cause me? That is why I was happy to do my friend a favor." The man explained.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Hades, you know, lord of the underworld? God of Death, wealth, etc etc. You know the story. And now that we've done the introductions, I think it's long past time to send you for punishment. Don't worry, you won't be there long, probably." Hades stopped and thought. "Think of this like a vacation. Just a vacation in hell. It'll be great. And remember feedback is always appreciated!" Hades called as Riddle disappeared.

When he reappeared next he spun around to where Hades was before only to find a dark, wet, cold, cave wall behind him. Frowning, he turned back and looked around before it only took a second for him to realize where he was. The cave where Slytherin's locket was originally hidden. He was on the other side of the lake.

The cave passage opened grabbing his attention. He watched, waiting to see what happened. Before he knew it, another version of himself was walking into the cave with two other kids following him. It only took him a second to realize what this was when he felt excruciating pain sear through his torso bringing him to his knees.

"This is only the beginning of the pain you caused others." A voice said off to his left. Gasping for breathe and squeezing his eyes shut, he turned to look at the source, Hades.

"Agh. What… are… you.. talking about!" He gasped out. Hades gestured to the memory version of Voldemort and the kids. One kid at a hole in his torso and the other was pleading for mercy while Voldemort was laughing.

"Your feeling the pain you caused. That's-" Hades pointed to Toms chest. "The pain that, that kid felt before his died. Before you ended it." When it looked like Tom was about to pass out from pain it disappeared and he took a deep breath and sat up before struggling into a standing position.

"So that's my hell? Feeling some worthless kids pain?" Tom demanded as a smirk grew across Hades face.

He shook his head. "No. You see, in your hell? Your going to feel all of their pain." His smirk only seemed to grow. "All of it." He emphasized. Tom opened his mouth to speak when suddenly their surroundings seemed to start to whiz past as Tom doubled over in pain before crashing to the floor choking up water as the scene paused on him drowning a woman while her son was forced to watch. He began to feel like he himself was drowning. Next it was fire, then insanity, followed by torture and so on and so on. Everyone he ever tortured or killed, he felt their pain, their suffering. He begged for death more times than it was possible to count.

And his wish was never granted and the cycle repeated the next day and the next.

It felt like years but in reality Tom was only their for three days reliving the same cycle of thousands of memories everyday.

After the cycle ended on the third day, he was enveloped into blackness as it took over him.

Next he found himself shooting up violently from a stone floor.

"Someone's jumpy." A voice came from his right. Turning he blinked until he could make out the person, Alex. Eyes widening in realization he looked down to his arm. It was no longer the arm of his sixteen year old body. He was back. Standing he brushed off his robes before fully taking in his surroundings.

"No bars? Restraints?" He hissed. Alex grinned and shook her head.

"No. You won't be here long. Besides, your magic has been surpressed while in this room." She pushed off of the wall she was leaning against. "Nagini? Your last horcrux, she's destroyed. Your mortal again." She revealed with a devious grin. Voldemort struggles to remain a mask of indifference but on the inside he was worried. He had seen what she could do. She had quite literally sent him to hell. She took in his expression. "You know, your mask? The one of indifference? I can see through it. Maybe it's because I myself use a similar mask often." She stopped walking and tilted her head. "Or maybe it's just the fact you're now afraid of something. Hell maybe?" Voldemort's jaw clenched. "Ah, yes seems I've hit the nail on its head with that one."

"You think I don't know what you're doing?" He snarled. Alex's brows furrowed and her head tilted in question. "You're trying to get under my skin. Well let me tell you something, it won't work." Voldemort sneered.

"I'm not trying to get under your skin. I already am." She smirked. "And now I'm going to let that be your last mystery. My nephew would like a few words." She turned and made her way to the door only pushing at the threshold. "And by words? I more likely mean torture. Fair warning! He's quite adapt with a sword. Well really any blade actually." And with that Alex exited the room leaving Voldemort to think on her words.

But he didn't get to think peacefully for too long as only minutes later Harry entered the room carrying a sword. He didn't say a word as he approached Voldemort but one thing was for sure, anyone would've been able to see the unbridled rage behind his eyes. As he stood in front of Voldemort staring at him he spun the sword in his hand a few times.

"You can't do it." Voldemort sneered. "You're nothing but a child. Weak and pathetic." Harry raised an eyebrow in response before he swung the sword quicker than he could register relieving him of his hand. He grunted in pain but didn't shout.

"You don't know anything about me or what I can or can't do." His next slash was just as quick but it was a light one, only leaving a gash on his cheek. Tom reached up with his still remaining hand and felt the blood. Pursuing his lips, Tom spoke.

"You're more like me than you believe." He commented causing Harry's head to whip to face him as he had been changing position.

"Excuse me?" Harry scoffed, Tom nodded.

"If it makes you feel better, I'll say you're more like that Alexandra, but either way? We're both bad." Tom chuckled shaking his head as Harry started to pace. Harry frowned but refrained from commenting. "You don't believe me?"

"What reason would I have to?" Harry demanded. "And aren't you supposed to be acting like the all powerful super villain right now?"

Tom paused and looked at Harry before shifting his gaze to his missing hand. "I would be… if I was. I'm not the villain of this story Harry."

"Bull." Harry retorted disbelieving. Tom shrugged.

"Believe what you want to believe. Trust what I'm saying or not. I don't care because I know I won't live to see it and while I would love to see you suffer, it's not in the cards for me. So I have decided to be generous and leave you with a bit of parting advice. Be careful of who you trust. Sometimes the ones we are closest to are the ones that hurt us the most." Tom said.

"You have no idea what you are talking about." Harry said. "I mean, you're not close to anyone. You don't have people you care about!" Tom looked thoughtful.

"Once." He said quietly as he thought back for the first time in years. Harry's eyes narrowed and he threw his sword like a spear into Tom's shoulder. Another grunt, Tom fell to his knees as Harry approached and twisted the sword before pulling it out roughly.

"Good luck." Tom took a deep breathe. "With what is to come." He swallowed. "And honestly? You have more convection than I would've thought. Much like your mother in that sense." This comment sent Harry reeling.

"What about my mother?" Harry demanded roughing yanking Tom's collar and shoving him against the wall.

"She has much more potential for torture than anyone knew." Eyes blazing, Harry dropped Tom back to his knees and looked between the sword and Tom. Making a choice he swiftly left the room and seeing Alex standing only a few feet away he approached her and handed her the sword and left without a word. Stunned, Alex reentered the room to see Tom struggling to his feet, blooding dripping from his handless arm and his shoulder. He laughed causing Alex to raise an eyebrow.

"He has no clue does he?"

"About?" Alex closed the door and ventured further into the room.

"The real war going on." Tom was now standing leaning back against the wall. "Of what's really happening. Because I think we both know what's to come and this is nothing opposed to that."

"What do you know about that?" Alex's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"I'm evil, even I'll admit it. But killing his mother twice? Do you really think that part was on me?" Tom alluded.

"I did." Alex admitted. She frowned as she looked away thoughtfully. "None of this is." She realized. "We're all pawns. For some bigger game. But why? Why would you go along with it?"

"Believe it or not, I wanted to see what he was capable of. I never hated him. He just was a threat to me. But because of them, I was already dying." Tom admitted. "I don't think I would've made it much longer even had it not been for all of this." As he revealed this, the redness of his blood faded into a black drawing Alex's attention. Tom saw her eyes go to the blood. "Now that you know my little secret, you can see the truth." He chuckled weakly. "I wanted to see what he was made of, because believe it or not, I would rather even him win this war than them. Not after this." He gestured to the blood with his remaining hand.

Alex could tell by the looks of his wounds, without his magic, he wouldn't live much longer and resolved to asking a question that was bugging her since she entered the room. "What did you say to him? To make him leave the room like that?"

"I told him his mother has much more potential for torture than anyone would've thought." Tom answered looking at Alex waiting. He knew Harry didn't catch it, but he also knew Alex was much more clever and observant than he was. It took her a second of frowning before her head tilted.

"'Has?'" She repeated slowly with a slight hesitancy. Tom smiled a small smile as she worked it out and nodded.

"Who do think you did this to me?" He questioned. Alex shook her head denying the possibility.

"No. No that is not possible. She died. I drove a sword through her because of you." Alex denied. Tom waved his hand dismissitively.

"That was meant to do exactly what it is now. Get you to not believe it. It's true."

"Why should I believe a word you say?" Alex demanded aggressively.

"Because yes I am a monster. I've done horrible things and I don't regret them. I don't feel remorse for any of it. You know that, everyone does. But I think you also know that I'm dying. And no matter what I did or said, it wouldn't get me out of this or that. And I have more reason to hate them than you. I'm dying, I've accepted that."

Alex shook her head. "No, you're broken." She realized in disbelief. "They broke you." She said quietly, looking him up and down. "If they can break you…" she shook her head again. "Then they can break anyone."

"No." Tom argued. "You can win. You just have to be willing to do whatever it takes." His words started slowing.

"Which is?"

"Forget the girl. You can't get her back. It's not worth it." He took a deep shuddering breathe. "It would cost to much. Whatever deal they offer for her, don't take it." He advised.

"I can't do that."

"You have to." Tom countered.

"No, no. She's too important to the people that are important to me."

"Then you're going to die. Horribly. Along with the rest of them." Tom slide down the wall onto the floor.

"You don't give me enough credit."

"Don't underestimate them." His eyes fluttered. "I did and look where it got me. You know how to win wars. You know the costs. You need to be ruthless, you've been. If you're not…" he smiled. "Then I guess I'll see you in hell." His eyes closed for the final time as the wounds and whatever the hell they did to him caught up with him. Contemplating his words, Alex lit the sword in flames making it vanish as she left the room. Before closing the door, she spared one lasting gaze on Tom's lifeless body leaning against the far wall and closed the door, completing that chapter of all of their lives, to bad it wasn't the worst one.

All over Britain, wizards and witches with an oh so certain mark on their arm fall to their knees with a burning sensation on their arm before it spread to the rest of their body and they then fell lifeless onto the ground. People all around rushed to help not knowing what was happening or why as it just appear that random witches and wizards were falling to the ground in pain clutching at their arms. It only became apparent to some when they would lift the robes arms to see what was wrong that the Dark Mark would stand out regardless of whatever glamour or spell any of them may have used to keep it hidden.

That night, Harry and Alex both returned to their own rooms and locked their sections down for their own reasons that the other didn't even know. Sirius and Hermione, the only other two in the house were left to only imagine what happened.

* * *

 _-Meanwhile In New York-_

"Jake!" Hunter was banging on Jake's apartment door and had been for at least the past five minutes. It was only when Jake came walking down the hall did Hunter realize that Jake wasn't at home. Spotting Hunter at his door, Jake quickened his pace.

Nearing Hunter, Jake stopped and unlocked his apartment door. "Alright where's the fire?" Jake questioned as he closed the door behind himself and Hunter once they entered the apartment. Hunter pulled a tri-folded paper out his jacket and handed it to Jake. Jake looked at it hesitantly before he sighed and grabbed it and unfolded it.

 _Hunter,_

 _So we've returned Hecate to her rightful place but your daughter Luna? Well let's just say she has a purpose in this. Now, we'll be honest, she's leverage. Against you, but you probably already knew that. So you have a decision to make. You either cooperate and you get her back, or you don't cooperate and well… let's just say some very unpleasant things will happen to your precious Luna. We won't kill her if that's what you're thinking, just have some fun._

 _Your choice. When you make it, write it on the back of this letter. We'll talk then._

 _-L &W_

Jake pursued his lips as he folded the paper back up and handed it back to Hunter. "This is getting worse. Have you told Alex about this yet?" Jake questioned. Hunter shook his head.

"Haven't gotten the chance. I just got it today and she wasn't at home."

"No, yeah she had something to take care of in Britain apparently." Jake moved to a cabinet on the far side of the living room. He opened it and pulled out two glasses and a bottle of bourbon. Picking up the glasses and the bottle, he moved to set this on the coffee table as he sat before pouring one for each of them. He picked up his own and slid the other to the end of the table. Nodding grimly, Hunter sat next to him on the couch and picked up his own cup, draining it. No words were exchanged for the rest of the night.

It was only the next morning when Hunter entered his own apartment did he allow himself to think about it. To think about his daughter. Whose life was at risk. He had never understand how some parents would do essentially anything, no matter how bad just to save their child. Now he did, and gods did he wish he didn't. It wasn't that he felt obligated to save her, it was that he felt he would never forgive himself and be able to move on if he didn't save her. That's what made up his mind.

Grabbing a pencil, he unfolded the letter and flipped it over writing his choice.

* * *

 _ **So I know Voldemort was kind of(a lot) out of character but if you didn't notice, at one point through it, I started calling him by Tom. Can anything think of why maybe? Anyway, some of the information he provided was certainly surprising, even to me. Honestly when I had the idea for that scene in my head, that was not even close to how I saw it going but personally I think it was perfect as it was.**_

 _ **Hope you enjoyed! As always, but I just can't say it enough, thank you for all of the support. I do hope all of you are really liking this story, I myself actually am as well. This has been so much fun to write so far, with all of the twists and turns, but don't worry! There are quite a few more to come, so look forward to them. See ya in two weeks with the next chapter! -DS**_

 _ **Hunter's choice! That is positively wretched for them to do. Can anyone guess as to what Hunter's choice will be? It's probably obvious to anyone that may or may not have a child. I personally don't, but I do hope I captured the feeling for him right!**_


	21. What Happened

**_Enjoy!_**

* * *

 ** _How It Should've Been_**

 ** _Chapter 20: What Happened_**

 _Any parent that could really call themselves a parent would do anything if it meant saving their child. They would give up anything and everything for their child to live and be happy. And sometimes, giving up anything and everything was what was demanded of you._

 _Lily was going about her normal routine for the day, but today was anything but normal, she just didn't know it yet. It was October 31st, fifteen years after the day that one of the most dangerous wizards fell. The world started to spin around her as her head pounded. Clutching her head, she fell to the ground unconscious._

 _It was only an hour later when she awoke laying on a white couch. Blinking her eyes several times to get adjusted to the bright lights, she slowly sat up and shook her head. Once she came back to herself, her first thought made her eyes widen._

 _"Harry." She muttered and stood quickly causing her to stumble a little bit._

 _"Be careful there. You just experienced a heavy barrage of memories." A voice came from her right and a hand on her arm steadied her her. Looking to to the voice, she was greeted with the face of an older man._

 _"Who are you?" Lily demanded as she moved out of his reach._

 _"Someone that wishes to help you. Help you let go."_

 _"Let go of what?" Lily questioned. She knew this route would be easiest, to just go along with this until she had the chance to leave._

 _"Your family and friends." He stated as if it was obvious. Lily's eyes widened. "You just got your memories back. We had to wait for that to happen to be able to condition you properly. Now we can either do this the easy way or the hard way."_

 _Lily shook her head. "No. Not happening." She refused vehemently._

 _"I think you've mistaken me. That was not an option. But it appear you're going to need to do this the hard way." He sighed. "So be it." He shook his head in disappointment and turned around walking away with his hands intertwined behind his back. Lily took one step forward but that was as far as she got before she felt a prick in her neck. Only moments after the world started to blur before Lily's eye as she staggered and nearly fell if it hadn't been for the arms to caught her as she lost consciousness._

Hunter used the pencil on the back of the letter and wrote. _What do you want in exchange?_ The words faded only seconds after they were written.

More appeared after a minute or so of waiting. _What we have always wanted._

Hunter was not seen for the rest of the day, remaining in his apartment. Unlike Harry and Alex who had decided to come out of their short isolation. This only became known when Harry knocked on the open door to the kitchen where Hermione, Sirius and Amelia were talking. They all looked over at the noise. Hermione rushed over to him and wrapped him in a tight hug, which he graciously returned just as tight. Amelia and Sirius shared a look and nodded.

"As much as I want to know what's going through that head of yours. We'll give you some privacy." Sirius smiled before leading Amelia out of the room. Harry nodded appreciatively as he pulled away from Hermione and grabbed her hand, lightly tugging her over to the island where sat down and turned to face the stool next to him gesturing for her to sit. Doing so, she intertwined their fingers. Harry looked down at their hands rubbing her knuckles as he took a deep breathe.

"I tortured him." He admitted quietly not daring to meet her eyes. Hermione's eyes widened for a second before she gulped and nodded even though he wasn't looking up at her.

"And it's eating away at you." She observed cautiously. Harry bit his lip and slowly raised his head to look at her, his gaze pained.

"Not the fact that I tortured him." Harry admitted. "But the fact that I didn't hesitate. That it didn't bother me." He shook his head in shame. Hermione lifted her free hand and rested it under his chin, bringing his head up and looked into his eyes.

"Hey, I know this is more of Luna's territory but I'm going to give it a shot. What you did? Anyone would've in your position. He has done so many awful things to you. And no it doesn't make it morally right, but there is only so much one person can take before they break. Before they just want to them suffer. And no one can fault you for that." Hermione whispered. Harry shook his head and turned his head away pulling it from her hand. He stood and moved over to stand in front of the window.

"He said I was just like him. That I-" He started.

"No!" Hermione protested as she stood. "This is what he wanted. To get into your head. His final game. But Harry, you are nothing like him."

"How can you know that?" He shot back in despair. She walked up behind him and held his cheek, slowly turning him to face her. He didn't fight it but he also didn't meet her eyes.

"Because I could never have fallen for a monster like him." She whisper only inches from his face. He slowly raised his eyes to meet hers in amazement.

"Wha…?"

"I'm falling for you Harry Potter." She smiled as she kept her hand on his cheek. "And nothing is going to change that." Harry smiled and brought his hands up to cup her cheeks before pulling her face to his, connecting their lips in a sweet kiss.

"I've been falling for you since the day I met you." Harry said once they separated.

"Actually, I think that was me." She corrected referring to the first time they met when he caught her. "You quite literally knocked me off me feet." She smiled.

"And I will always be there to catch you." He promised. He leaned forward and captured her lips again, this time the kiss lost its sweetness and deepened quickly. Harry hands dropped from her face down to her back lightly where they drifted to her waist pulling her tightly to him. Hermione's hand left his cheek and wrapped around his neck. Lifting her up, Hermione wrapped her legs around his waist.

"I'll hold you to that." She kissed next to his ear before returning to his lips.

"Looking forward to it." He mumbled against her lips.

After leaving the kitchen, Sirius and Amelia retreated into his office. Closing the door behind them, Sirius headed straight to the cabinet right behind his desk and pulled out a bottle of scotch along with to glasses. Pouring one for each of them, Sirius walked over to where Amelia was sitting on the couch that was on the far left wall of the office. Handing one to her, he sat next to her.

"Do you really think leaving to teenagers alone in a kitchen with many surfaces was a good idea?" Amelia questioned. Sirius barked out a laugh.

"Well he may be my son but he isn't me." Sirius smirked. Amelia laughed and took a sip from her glass.

"That's exactly what I'm worried about. He doesn't have your oh so poorly hidden mischievousness. He is actually good at hiding it." Amelia teased. Sirius pretended to look offended and held his heart.

"I'm hurt." At her raised eyebrow he poured it on thicker. "No really! I'm actually hurt that you think so little of me. I'll have you know, I am capable of thinking about someone other than sex."

"Really?" Amelia tried and failed to hide her disbelieving laugh.

"Really!" Sirius exclaimed.

"So what are you thinking about right now?"

"Se- how good this scotch is." Sirius tried to correct himself and took a big gulp of his drink downing it. At Amelia's look, Sirius shot back, "Okay well what are you thinking about?"

"All of the bloody paperwork I'm going to be dealing with when I drag Voldemort's lifeless and no doubt mutilated corpse into the Ministry." Amelia answered matter-of-factly.

"Really?" Sirius questioned suspiciously and shook his head. "I don't think so."

"Then what do you think I'm thinking about?" Sirius paused and set his glass and pretended to think.

"I think, you're thinking about giving me a victory kiss."

"Hm, and what would you do if I wasn't?" Amelia questioned smiling deviously.

"I would cry. Like a baby." Sirius answered with a straight face.

"And if I was?"

"I certainly wouldn't dash your hopes by turning you down." Sirius assured. At some point during the conversation Amelia had finished her glass and set it on the table next to him and they became closed. Their eyes met. "Oh screw it." Sirius threw caution to the wind and dove forward crashing their lips together and pushing Amelia down on her back on the couch.

Their kissing continued and they didn't notice the door open until Alex was already speaking.

"Am I interrupting?" Alex looked between the two of them as they scrabbled, with Amelia shoving Sirius to the side and off the couch before she sat up and righted her shirt while Sirius picked himself up off the floor and brushed his clothes, flattening them. He picked up the glasses from the table and walked back to the cabinet at the back of the room. Everyone in the room looked severely uncomfortable.

"What did you need?" Sirius cleated his throat and turned to face her leaning back against her cabinet.

"Not so much as need. As want to be honest for once." Alex admitted. This gained Sirius full attention and Amelia looked between the two.

"Maybe I should go?" She suggested, standing. Sirius opened his mouth but was interrupted before he got a word out by Alex.

"No, no I think you should stay." Alex interjected, shocking both of them. She sighed and looked back at Sirius. He looked at her questioningly. She nodded. "I'm sure. Now, as you know there is a lot I keep secret. And lie about." She paused. "But-" That was as far as she got before an alarm started blaring all throughout the house. "We'll continue this conversation later." Alex promised before all of the hurried out of them room and straight to the command center of the house. They arrived at the same time that Harry and Hermione did. Their disheveled appearance drew knowing looks from the three adults as Amelia sent Sirius a look that said 'I told you so' with a smirk.

"What's the alarm?" Hermione questioned looking between the adults.

"It's a proximity warning. Anyone unauthorized that attempts to enter the house by way of wards sets it off." Sirius answered.

"By way of wards?"

"There are more ways to enter than by trying to by pass the wards. That is just the way they are." Alex explained. "Lets go."

"No need." A voice called from the far side of the room, quickly drawing their attention. All heads whipped to face their direction. An older man, that must have been about sixty, was standing his hands on a cane that was centered in front of him.

"How did you get in here?" Sirius demanded. "This house is practically a bloody fortress."

"And every fortress has one other ways of entry are unknown to all others." The man smiled while the group exchanged looks.

"And who exactly would know of this entry way?" Amelia questioned looking at Sirius to see if he had any idea, he shook his head and shrugged. Alex remained silent, putting the pieces together. There was only one way into the home other than being allowed by one of them. Family. Any member of the family could enter and allow entrance to others. He was telling the truth.

"That would be me." A woman's voice entered the room, all of the lights went out as she strode in and past everyone, taking a place next to the man. With the room pitch black, no one knew exactly where to look, except Alex. Alex's eyes followed the woman's steps from the time she entered the room and the lights went out to the time to stopped next to the man. The lights came back on a minute later yet both the man and woman were gone. Everyone's heads were a swivel, whipping around in search as to where they could've gone except Alex. She knew they were gone, that it was no use looking for them.

Spotting a paper laying on the table, Amelia cautiously picked it up and read it aloud. "If you went young Miss Lovegood back, go to the place where all of this began, tomorrow at dusk. We'll be waiting." She recited before looking around.

"Where's the place it all began?" Hermione questioned thinking hard.

"Hogwarts?" Sirius suggested.

"No." Alex intervened, stopping any further guesses, shaking her head. Everyone looked at her curiously. "Godric's Hallow."

 _"Why move to Godric's Hallow?" Alex questioned._

 _"Because every good fairytale ends like that." Lily smiled. Alex frowned confused._

 _"Like how?"_

 _"How it started. It's how the readers feel satisfaction that the story went full circle." Lily explained._

 _"Bull." Alex retorted. Lily shrugged._

 _"Well you may not believe it but I do. Big events always take place where it all began. It adds emotional suspense." At Alex's questioning look, she continued. "You know, that something bad might happen."_

 _"Ah, so that's your reason for moving here because you're waiting for something bad to happen?" Alex clarified._

 _"No- that's not- you know what? I give up." Lily threw up her hands causing Alex to laugh at her exasperation._

"Why Godric's Hallow?" Amelia questioned.

"Because it adds exactly what they want." Alex explained.

"Which is? And who exactly are 'they'?" Sirius pressed. Alex sighed.

"Guess it's time for the truth to come out isn't it?"

* * *

 ** _Leave thoughts and reactions in a review? They honestly really are helpful to me. Anyway, sorry for the slightly shorter length, it was what it was. I hope it was still enjoyable though!_**


	22. Right Price?

_**Enjoy!**_

* * *

 _ **How It Should've Been**_

 _ **Chapter 21: Right Price?**_

"So you're telling me, that there is this war that you've been keeping secret?" Amelia questioned in disbelief. They were all sitting down except for Alex, who was standing in the front of the circle, arms crossed. She nodded.

"Yeah."

"How? No better question. Why?" Sirius demanded.

Sighing, Alex shook her head and paced a few times before stopping and address them again. "Because, fighting an enemy you understand is hard enough. But an enemy you know next to nothing about? I wanted to know more before I roped any of you into it."

"Any of us?" Amelia caught. "You mean there are others that know about this?" She wondered. This had all eyes looking back at Alex. She pursued her lips.

"Yes." She admitted reluctantly. "But-"

"Who?" Harry interrupted, eyes steeled.

"Jake and Hunter." Alex gave in.

"Hunter? As in Hunter?" Amelia clarified. Alex nodded not meeting her eyes.

"You said you wanted to know more before you told. So does that mean you know more?" Hermione questioned.

"No." Alex shook her head, lying. "I told because they've made an appearance now. And I can only wonder if that means they're moving forward with something big." She guessed.

"What were you going to say before the alarm went off?" Sirius cut in. Alex looked questioning. "In the office." He continued.

"I was going to tell you what happened to Tom." Alex answered, not wavering from his unyielding gaze. He eventually nodded, accepting it.

"Now what?" Harry questioned not exactly meeting Alex's eyes. Sirius stood.

"Now we think on this and wait till tomorrow. That's all we really can do."

* * *

 _Next Day – Dusk_

The group entered the partially destroyed cottage only to see Hunter already there pacing back and forth in the foyer of the house.

"Did you tell him what was happening?" Sirius demanded turning to Alex as they approached Hunter. Seeing them, Hunter stopped pacing and greeted them.

"I-" Alex started.

"No. We did." A man's voice cut over Alex as a man came out of the hall way and into the foyer where the entire group was. Everyone looked to him with different levels of wariness.

"Where is she?" Hunter demanded, eyes darting around the room and surrounding hallways for something.

"So impatient." The man smiled. He lifted one of his hands from where it was rested on his cane and gestured with a flick. The group watched, breathe baited, waiting. Two figures could be seen approaching through the shadowy hall.

Coming into the light first was Luna, wearing magical suppression cuffs. Everyone's breathe released except for Hunters and Alex's. The woman that was holding Luna was also brought into the light. Allowing everyone to see her for the first time. What they saw could only be described as a shock for most of them. A woman with flaming red hair, and piercing emerald green eyes.

"That's not possible." Harry mumbled in disbelief. "I saw you die. A sword was through your stomach." The woman smirked.

"It's amazing how a few spells can make a person look and think like someone else. She died a noble death, playing the part of someone else isn't easy." She flicked her hair. Sirius looked her up and down. They're was no mistaking it. Yet, while it was impossible to mistake, there was a different feel to her. She was wearing black high leather boots, skin tight leather jeans along with a tight leather jacket and black half-tucked shirt. The jacket wasn't like one Alex normally wore but more flowing with sides folding.

"Lily." Sirius breathed out, stunned. The only one who hadn't reacted out of the group was Alex. She was staring at Lily with little to no emotion in her eyes, observing, calculating.

"Yes yes, can we skip the shock?" She remarked.

"I-I don't understand." Harry spluttered out. Lily tilted her head staring at him.

"Ah, and I thought having Alex as a guardian would make you smart." She mocked sadly. It was only then that Sirius remembered Alex was in the room as well. He glanced at her to see nothing that he was expecting. There was no shock, joy, amazement. Nothing.

"Can we get on with this?" Hunter barked after watching the not so pleasant reunion. This brought Luna's eyes to him, quizzically.

"Fine, if we must." Lily rolled her eyes and pushed Luna forward directly into Hunter. He caught her in a hug, bending slightly he put his head next to her shoulder without making it obvious.

"Remember that I love you and that I'm sorry." Hunter whispered into her ear, lips hardly moving, it was so unnoticeable that no one spotted it, but Luna heard it and frowned in confusion.

"Well?" Lily interrupted, impatiently checking an imaginary watch and looking at them with a raised eyebrow. Hunter took an intake of breathe and squeezed one final time before pulling away and pushing Luna behind him and into Harry.

"What do you want?" Sirius demanded roughly. Lily merely tilted her head. It was only moments later that Luna cried out in pain as she fell to her knees, grabbing her head in her hands.

"What are you doing to her?!" Harry shouted as he dropped to his knees next to Luna, holding her. Sirius and Amelia whipped out their wands in a flash and pointed them at Lily and the still silent man.

"Stop it!" Hermione exclaimed as she too was on the floor trying but failing to help Luna.

"Stupif-" Both Amelia and Sirius started but were cut off.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Alex's voice and new position stopped Sirius in his tracks. She was standing to his right, arm raised, left hand mere inches from his head crackling with barely contained electricity. It was by far more than enough to kill him if it made contact.

"Don't make me do this." Hunter's voice came from Amelia's left where he was also holding a ball of unbridled fire inches from Amelia's head in his right hand. Their cold voices brought about Harry and Hermione's attention as Luna's cries diminished to nothing as the pain dissipated. Looking up, the two shot to their feet next to Luna looking at the two immortals in shock. They were threatening the lives of their own family and friends and all the while protecting the enemy.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Sirius demanded gaze shifting between Alex and Hunter out of the corners of his eyes without moving his head even in the slightest. Both Sirius and Amelia were standing impeccably still with their wand arms still raised.

"Their jobs." Lily answered smirking. She approached and stood in front of Amelia and Sirius before she pushed their wand arms down to their sides with her hands. They stood glaring at her. Never did either of them think they would ever be glaring at the person that was once like family with such contempt. Never did either of them think they would be at the mercy of two people they held incredibly dear, but alas, here they were.

"I don't believe it." Harry fought. "They would never betray us like that." He denied vehemently.

"Oh honey, believe it. For the right price, anybody will do anything." Lily smirked at his dismay. "And our time is concluded." Lily turned and left back down the hallway with the man by her side. Alex and Hunter hesitated before sharing a glance and lowering their hands back to their sides and turning and following without a look at anyone.

"Alex!" Harry shouted after her, Alex paused in her steps as she was a mere few steps from disappearing down the hall. She turned and met Harry's eyes without speaking a word. They held the gaze from a few moments before Alex broke it and turned and followed Hunter down the hall, leaving the remains group is disarray trying to understand the events that had just befallen then.

- _Back At Potter Home – London-_

"I don't get why they would do that." Sirius paces back and forth, hand at his chin, looking down, brows furrowed, thinking. Everyone was either standing or sitting around the living room. He stopped by the accent table behind the couch and swiped his hand down wiping everything off of the table and sent flying in anger. "How could they do that? We trusted them. And they betray us?"

"She said that anyone would do anything for the right price." Amelia repeated and shook her head. "But what would be the right price for them?" Amelia wondered silently. She knew there was something more to this, that Hunter and Alex wouldn't just betray them. She couldn't claim to know Alex well but she knew Hunter and he wouldn't do that. Something happened, and she planned to find out exactly what it was.

That was how Amelia, Sirius, Harry, Hermione and Luna all spent the rest of the night until they fell asleep.

- _Elsewhere-_

"What happened to you?" Alex questioned as her and Hunter walked side by side following Lily through a compound and a maze of hallways.

"You mean when my memories returned but I didn't?" Lily assumed but didn't turn to look at Alex. "Jameson found me. He… showed me my true self."

"What a sadistic bitch?" Hunter scoffed. Lily stopped causing them both to stop and turned to face Hunter.

"Aw, do you really think so little of me?" She pouted. Hunters eyes were hard and his jaw clenched as he nodded with a raging fire in his eyes. "Well it doesn't really matter. You will follow my orders, to the 't'." She turned and was about to start walking again when Alex spoke.

"What if we don't?" Alex questioned. Lily glanced back at her and them looked between Alex and Hunter.

"If you don't, it won't matter how powerful you are. You'll regret it." Lily promised and started walking again as Hunter and Alex exchanged a look and reluctantly followed.

 _Next time Lily woke she found her self in an all white room. There was a bed at one wall, a doorway that led to a bathroom and a closet in the far corner of the room. In front of the bed was a couch and a coffee table with two chairs on the opposite of it. There were no windows and the only other door was an impenetrable iron door._

 _The door slide open as the man from before entered and it closed behind him. He moved and sat in one of the chairs that was opposite the couch. He gestured to the couch. Lily hesitantly stood from the bed and slowly made her way to the couch where she sat and faced the man, a fire in her eyes._

 _"You have fire. Good, you'll need it." The man leaned forward and held his hand out to her. "I'm Jameson." He introduced with his hand still extended. Lily merely glanced at his hand before looking him in the eyes coldly. He sighed and lowered his hand. "I see this will be difficult. The ones with the strong will always are." He commented. Lily's eye narrowed._

 _"What will be difficult?" She demanded._

 _"Bringing out your true self. Allowing yourself to let go of this…" He gestured his hand to her. "Façade."_

 _"You're crazy. Let_ me go, I just want to find my son."

 _Jameson lifted one of his legs and laid it over the other and laid his finger on his calf. He was wearing white and black clothes. A white shirt, a black leather blazer and white jeans coupled with black shoes. "See I can't let you do that just yet." When Lily opened her mouth ready to protest he continued. "I promise, you will see him. Just not yet. First you have to corporate." He said easily. Lily's jaw and fists clenched._

 _"What do you want?" She questioned hesitantly. Jameson smiled._

 _"That's more like it." He stood and made his way to the door, which was now open. When Lily didn't follow he turned and looked at her. "Let's go." He directed. Lily stood and followed him out of the room._

 _After a few turns and halls, Lily looked behind and now was positive no one was following her. The only person around was Jameson, who she was following behind. Making a split second decision, when Jameson turned the next corner, Lily turned around and sprinted in the direction they had came from. She ran as fast as possible through the halls recalling the path they had taken and knew she had got it right when she ran past her room. She continued sprinted through the maze of halls for at least another minute dodging a few people when suddenly the hall she ran down had two people standing at the end arms crossed. She came to a halt and spun around making at run out of the hall but only had to come to another quick halt upon seeing Jameson standing there calmly with two others behind him._

 _Lily cursed lightly when she felt a prick in her neck. Her vision blurred and the word spun as she fell unconscious._

 _It was a day later when she woke up. Shooting up from the bed her eyes darted around the room in hope that it was a nightmare. No such luck as she found the room was the same and Jameson was sitting in the chair._

 _They didn't talk as he stood and waited for her by the door. Frowning, she stood and again followed him out of the room. This time when following, she ran a hall earlier, hoping that it would change. Even with this change, she wound up running nearly the same exact path and was again caught and again drugged._

 _It was like clockwork. The same thing happened every time and every time she took a different path. Nothing worked. It was on the twenty-first day when Lily lost hope after yet again being drugged._

This time when Lily woke, she noticed differences. She wasn't just thrown onto the bed be rather was tucked into it. Sitting up, the covers fell to her waist as she looked around. The room was the same except for one thing. Jameson wasn't sitting in the chair. Her eyes darted around the room, looking for him but didn't find him anywhere in the room.

The door slide open and in came Jameson. He wasn't dressed in what she last saw him in. He was wearing white and navy blue instead rather than the exact same black and white combination she had seen for the last twenty one days.

"Ah, good you're awake. I was beginning to think you never would. I have to say, that's the longest someone's lasted that I've seen." Jameson went and sat down on the chair. But this time, it was the other chair, not the one he sat in everyday. Thinking on what he said, Lily shook her head in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" She asked rubbing her forehead.

"You've been in that sleep for seven days. Seems I was right about that strong will."

"I don't understand. Seven?" She questioned confused.

"Yes seven. But I believe it was twenty-one for you, yes?" At her reluctant nod he continued. "You see, you were placed into a reality like sleep, where we controlled what you saw. It was the same thing every time. And it lasted until you lost all hope. Until you broke. Twenty-one days in there. New record."

"You mean that wasn't real?" Lily shot up and out of the bed. Jameson shook his head.

"Not in the slightest. It felt real. That's the point, for you to think it's real. For your brain to think it is. Now you know what we can do. That was only the beginning."

Lily led Alex and Hunter to their rooms. They were near replicas of their own rooms back at their homes. When Lily turned to leave Alex's room, Alex called out to her.

"I have a question." Alex called. Lily looked at her but didn't speak, waiting, but not promising she would answer. "How did you seem to know everything that was happening?"

"You'll see tomorrow. Goodnight Alex." She paused and thought. "Oh and I wouldn't try to use your powers to get out, they won't work." With that Lily left and closed the door behind her.

Alex shook her head and walked towards the desk before turning back and looking at the door thoughtfully. She raised her hand and looked down at it and willed fire to appear. Nothing happened. She tried again. This time a tiny, barely visible flame appeared.

"Pathetic." She muttered shaking her head. She clenched her fist and glared at the door, fire in her eyes. She heard a bang come from the room to the left of her own. It was a fist slamming into a wall, a sound she knew all to well. She had done it enough in her lifetime to know the distinct sound.

No doubt Hunter came to the same realization she had. They were trapped here, until Lily came back the next morning, and they couldn't even do anything about it.

* * *

 _ **Hope you enjoyed! What do you think about that twist? I know it was a lot of fun to write and I've been playing around with the betrayal idea and it's something I really wanted to do. So hope you like it as much as I do. Thank you for all of the support. It is always appreciated. See you on the next chapter! -DS**_


	23. Denial

**_Enjoy!_**

 ** _How It Should've Been_**

 ** _Chapter 22: Denial_**

"We haven't heard from them in a month. Does that mean they really sided with them?" Hermione questioned. Sirius, Harry, Amelia and Hermione were in the command room at the home. Harry shook his head.

"I refuse to believe that." Harry denied.

-L&W Island Compound-

"They aren't breaking." Lily announced as she entered Jameson's office. She handed him the file. He read it and sighed.

"Pull them out." He directed. Lily's eyes snapped to him.

"What?" She question stunned.

"Pull them out. We can't control them this way. Time to resort to drastic measures."

"You don't mean? Surely.." Lily began. Jameson nodded.

"We'll see if they pass with it. If they don't, then you know what to do." Jameson closed the file and handed it back to Lily. She nodded and left the room.

It was eight o'clock when the door to Alex's room opened. Lily entered the room and injected Alex with the antidote and left. It was only minutes later that Alex woke. Pushing off of the bed, she stood and took a step out of the the room, peering left and right. It was only a second later when she spotted Hunter doing the same in at the door to the left of her own. When he spotted her, he came over to her.

"What's going on?" He asked. Alex shook her head and looked around. Their eyes darted around the hall. It was only Alex spotted something out of the corner of her eye did she nudge Hunter.

"End of hall, right corner." She whispered, lips barely moving. Hunter gave an inexplicable nod and glance at it in his sweep of looking down the hall. Only seconds after both of them were aware that it was there did Lily come walking around the corner.

"Follow." She directed as she walked past them. They shard a glance before following her. She led them through a maze of halls and eventually stopped in front of a room. She gestured to the room and reluctantly, the two entered the room.

Immediately on entering the room, they did a sweep, eyes darting around the room. It was an all white room, seemed to be a running theme in this place, and on the left side of the room, desks were lined on the wall with computers on them and people working on them. In the center of the room was a large research table covered in a map. Then in the right side of the room were bookshelves that were ceiling to floor. There was a door that separated the shelves in the center.

Lily led them over to the door and opened it, walking in and up a set of stairs. Following behind, Alex and Hunter were both going through a mental list of what they both thought could've been up there.

Entering the room at the top of the stairs revealed an attic style room. This room wasn't white but rather all dark oak wood paneling. There were bookshelves and desks that were littered in so many papers that they were falling to the ground. At two of the desks was woman, they were scrabbling quickly on paper. Lily stood by the door while Alex and Hunter further entered the room. They each approached one of the woman and looked at her and what she was drawing. It was roughly scribbled English.

It was when they switched and went to look at the woman that the other was observing when they noticed it. The women looked exactly the same. They went back and forth at least three times to be sure.

"Who are they?" Alex questioned trying to read the writing.

"Oracles?" Hunter guessed looking up and at Lily for an answer. She shrugged.

"Oracles, Seers, augurs, whatever you want to call them." Lily answered. Alex looked back down at the woman and then at the other one and then to the page of writing she was holding in her hand.

"This is how you knew everything that was happening. They saw it." Alex muttered the realization but it was loud enough for the other two to hear it.

"No that's not how Seers or even Oracles work." Hunter argued. "They give prophecies not see real-time events."

"Both of you are right." Lily announced. "These are our own creation of seers. Much more useful than the normal old hag type. They see the present and the future. All we have to do is sort through it. Well, now that you've seen how we knew everything and I have answered that question, follow me." Lily turned and left the room. Hunter glanced at Alex before following after Lily. Alex began to walk towards the door when she turned back around and picked up the page that had her attention since she realized what it was. Pocketing it, she followed the two out of the room and closed the door behind her.

It was when they reentered the room at the bottom of the stairs that Alex noticed it. A calendar.

"We were in that room for longer than one night, weren't we?" Alex stopped in her tracks and asked. Lily stopped and turned causing Hunter to stopped as well.

"I was waiting for that." Lily commented. "You were in that sleep for a month." She revealed. Alex and Hunter eyes shifted to the other in shock. Lily didn't let them think about the consequences of it for long before she turned and began walking again, leaving them with no choice but to follow her.

They were led out of the room and back into the hallways where they went through another five halls before Lily led them into another room. Jameson was standing in it looking at a map on the wall. It looked like an office.

"Lily." He greeted with a nod before turning to Hunter and Alex. "Hunter. Alex." He sent them nods as well but unlike Lily they didn't return it. "Not the greeting type. Well, have you told them?" He asked Lily. She shook her head. "Good."

"Tell us what? I mean aside from our month long nap." Hunter demanded. Jameson moved over to a desk and picked up a file opening it.

"What you will be doing here." He walked back over and threw the file on the table in front of them. Exchanging looks, they read it.

"Enforcers." Hunter read aloud before looking up at them. Jameson nodded.

"You mean we do your dirty work." Alex corrected drawing everyone's gaze.

"No, you're enforcers." Jameson corrected.

"Which means doing your dirty work." Alex pressed. Jameson went to correct her again when she cut him off before he could speak. "Oh come on, don't treat us like idiots. You've watched us long enough, you obviously know we aren't. Just admit it, enforcing, dirty work, same thing."

Lily covered her smile with her hand as Jameson eyebrows furrowed and he took a breathe. "Fine." He gave in. "Just go do it." He ordered.

"Now?" Hunter clarified confused. Jameson nodded.

"Yes now. Lily will be with you. Go." He directed again. They all left the room once again and directed back to there rooms to get ready. Hunter was already back in his room when Lily led Alex to hers. Lily was about to open the door when Alex grabbed her arm.

"Why were put to sleep for so long?" She questioned.

"Procedure." Lily answered simply. This didn't satisfy Alex.

"For what?" Alex's eyes narrowed.

"To break you." Lily yanked her arm from Alex's grasp when realization dawned on Alex and she stared at Lily in shock. "Now go." She opened the door.

"It didn't work did it?" Alex pushed.

"You don't remember?" Lily asked in surprise. Alex shook her head.

"Remember what?" This time it was Lily that shook her head.

"Nothing. Get ready." She directed and closed the door stopping any further conversation.

It was twenty minutes later that they were leaving the island through the portal they entered through. They were then brought to a small village in what looked like no where.

"Six." Lily announced. Alex and Hunter shared a confused look.

"Six?" Hunter questioned. Lily nodded.

"What?" Alex continued. Lily sighed.

"Six kills. Three each. Go." She answered.

"You're kidding right?" Hunter frowned.

"Not at all." Lily shook her head. "Don't care how you do it, just do it."

"Or what?" Alex countered as Lily raised an eyebrow.

"Or you won't have a choice in the matter." Lily warned vaguely.

"It's not happening." Hunter refused.

"Okay." Lily nodded and waved her wand. Only seconds later twenty wizards and witches apparated in and swarmed the village and Alex and Hunter could do nothing but watch, Lily had glued them in place. There were shouts and screaming as families ran only to be struck down with no mercy and cruelty. Homes burned and doors and windows were sealed shut leaving the people trapped inside to meet a fiery end.

They didn't stop until a once peaceful village with children running and playing was devastated and covered in roaring flames. There was not one survivor. It was only then that Alex and Hunter feet were unstuck from the ground.

"That is what happens when you don't corporate. It could've been six instead of an entire village. Next time, it may be worse." Lily grabbed onto both of them and apparated them back to the compound. They were left in their rooms for the rest of the day to think with only food.

The next they were led back to Jameson's office. "I heard about yesterday. Will it happen again?" Was his greeting. Alex and Hunter looked at each coming to a silent agreement before looking back at Jameson.

"No." They answered. Jameson nodded in approval.

"Good."

 _Three Days Later_

"We've been running attacks and raids for three days. What's the point?" Alex question Lily as she was about to send them on another one. Lily didn't get the chance to answer when a woman came and whispered something to her. Lily nodded and answered.

"Change of plans." She directed at Alex and Hunter. "We're only hitting one village today. Let's go."

- _Potter Home-_

"These attacks started four days ago. At first it was only one on the first day but the entire village was decimated. The second day five villages were hit, six dead in each one. The third day, five more villages were hit with six dead in each one. And the fourth day, yesterday, five more were hit with six dead in each." Amelia explained to the group that were looking through the files.

"What's the pattern?" Harry questioned.

"Well it looks like it's going on a staggered line." Sirius observed and Amelia nodded.

"It is. And look at what the next village is." Amelia pointed.

"Ottery St Catchpole." Hermione breathed as the group all exchanged look.

When they arrived at the village of Ottery St Catchpole, people were already screaming. Sirius ran over to the nearest person.

"What happened?" He demanded.

"They-they showed up and k-killed f-fiveOf our own." The woman stammered. Sirius looked back at Amelia, Harry and Hermione.

"Five?" He clarified and the woman nodded shakily. Sirius thanked her and walked away and back over to them.

"Why only five?" Hermione wondered. It was only seconds later when Harry took off sprinting through the town. The other three were on his heels seconds later. They stopped when they arrived at a house outside of town. They heard shouting coming from the backyard and followed it.

There they spotted Luna pleading as Lily held her father at wand point. Alex and Hunter stood by watching. The group approached and Lily spotted them.

"Ah, I see you showed right on time!" Lily greeted. Harry looked to Alex with a betrayed look and Lily noticed. "Oh this isn't their faults. But they've already learned their lessons after the first day."

"Lily." Sirius held out his hand cautiously. "Don't do this." He cautioned.

"Oh I'm not. He is." Lily shoved Luna's father at Hunter who caught him and looked aghast at Lily, shaking his head vehemently.

"No. No I won't." He denied as Luna, Sirius, Amelia, Harry and Hermione could do nothing but look on.

"You either do it or you do it. Either way, it's happening."

"No." Hunter refused.

"How about you Alex?" Lily questioned only to receive the same answer.

"You know, there's a lot about Masters of Elements that isn't known." Lily address the group. "But one thing that is, is the fact that Chaos made them to be soldiers. And Chaos couldn't afford for them to fail, so Chaos made a failsafe. The one thing that can deter someone from their path is another person. Emotions. Feelings. Chaos knew that. So a precaution was made. If a Master seemed to have other obligations that consisted of emotions, Chaos would flip the switch." Lily explained as she walked around the group. "This switch was Chaos's precaution. Since they are immortal, and godly, they don't need humanity, thus a no humanity switch. To make the perfect fighter, someone with no obligations." She came back around and stood back where she had originally. "Hunter, Alex Ως κύριοι είστε απαλλαγμένοι από άλλες υποχρεώσεις." Lily announced.

It was like magic. It was magic. A wave of power rolled over the entire group as bonds were broken and it was released. Both of their eyes closed, and when they opened again, they were a shade darker yet at the same time, glowed. The glow faded and the waves of energy ceased. Lily grinned.

"Hunter, now that means nothing to you, surely you mind doing the honors?" Lily directed. Hunter looked at her before looking back at the man who was on his knees with a raised eyebrow. His eyes were cold as he reached out and grabbed the man's shoulder, hand flowing with electricity. He seized and cried out as his body convulsed with electricity before he fell forward lifeless.

"No!" Luna cried, rushing forward and skidding to a stop in front of her dad.

"Oh stop you're crying. Not like it was blood." Lily remarked and waved her hand. "Let this be a lesson. Don't try to stand in our way." She moves over to stand next to Alex and Hunter and the three disappeared into nothing leaving a sobbing Luna cradling Xeno. The rest of the group exchanged worried looks. This was not good. Not good at all.

 ** _Whatcha think? Honestly I got the switch idea from The Vampire Diaries but obviously I couldn't exactly incorporate it the same way, hope it's still good though. I like it and it will be vital obviously to the rest of the story._**

 ** _Poor Luna too, right? I mean it's not her biological father but still he raised her, that would be heartbreaking._**

 ** _Greek Translation – As Masters you are released from your otherworldly obligations._**

 ** _Google translate was used so that may not be one hundred percent accurate but best I could do._**

 ** _Hope you enjoyed! Thank you for all of the support! See ya next chapter! -DS_**


	24. Guilty Until Proven Innocent

Enjoy!

How It Should've Been

Chapter 23: Guilty Until Proven Innocent

"Deadly? Deadly is what I would call an understatement." Amelia remarked as Sirius, Harry, Hermione and Luna stood around the table.

"Hey!" Harry exclaimed in protest. "This is not their fault." He defended roughly.

"They did betray us." Hermione pointed out. This only seemed to be like adding fuel to the fire.

"We don't know why!" Harry argued angrily. He was looking down at the table with his palms flat out leaning on the surface.

"Look-" Sirius started only to be cut off.

"Harry's right." Luna interrupted. "We don't know why. Maybe there's something more." She suggested optimistically.

"They killed your father Luna. How can you say that?" Hermione shook her grimly. Luna swallowed before sharing a look with Harry. A look that was caught by the other three.

"He-he wasn't my real father." Luna admitted quietly. "I was adopted." She didn't meet any of their eyes as they look at her sadly. She took a shuddering breathe before continuing. "I think I know who my father is though. And that is why I have to believe there's more to it. That can't be it." Luna insisted with a new resolve. That was when it seemed to click for everyone why she was pushing this.

"Hunter… you think Hunter is your father." Sirius stated more than asked.

"I know. I just somehow know." Luna shook her head. "And I know there is more to this."

One Month Later

While Luna had best wishes at heart, it was becoming apparent there was no hope of it being true any longer. Over the weeks prior, the group had had a number of run ins with the two immortal Masters. Every time, they were taunted and over powered. Just seeing people they loved, people they had once trusted with their lives so cold and heartless, was heartbreaking. They killed without mercy. The body count was stacking up, and it didn't seem to matter. But most of all, the end goal of it all? Unidentifiable. A lot had been revealed in the past month. L&W has come into the light with the group. They had played their games but nobody knew the rules nor the objective.

All it seemed to be was killing pointlessly. At least, to everyone but Harry. Harry figured it out. Not on his own though. During the many run ins with Alex and Hunter, he had made eye contact with Alex several times. But it was over the weeks that he noticed the gradual, nearly unnoticeable change in them. They were dark and calculating, yes. But when they looked at him, they held something hidden deep down. He could see it. And that was why, even a month later, he was the only one with hope that something deeper was in fact going on. In the many encounters, he was the one person Alex only threatened to kill. Not a move was made. And when they fought, albeit rarely, he knew she held back. He knew that if she wanted him dead, he would be before he could even blink.

He was the only one that saw that though, that saw any of the signs. Even Luna began to lose hope. None of them saw the subtle signs Alex had meant for him to find. Maybe they weren't meant to. Maybe she didn't want them knowing. He didn't know. But what he did know was yesterday, something was different. It was just a look or a sign in combat. It was a paper that only found it way into his pocket after all was said and done. He waited until he was in private to read it and he was thankful for that choice once he saw what the paper contained.

The Island of The War

Twelve Day. It Ends.

Don't Lose Hope. Tell.

He knew what it meant. He knew of the island as well. Twelve day, noon. It ends… well that could only mean one thing. And tell? Well that's exactly what he was doing as he called a meeting and sat it down on the table in front of the group.

It was the next day, at twelve during the day that Harry snuck out and apparated to the mainland that was a about mile from the island. It was still close enough that he could make out the island in the distance.

It hadn't mattered what he said. They weren't convinced. They believed it was a trap. That Alex was playing his emotions. And honestly, he would've thought that to. If not for the fact that he knew Alex nearly as well as himself. Even if she lied and he couldn't see through it, maybe it was his perception of the world. A perception so close to her own, maybe that was what let him see it. Maybe it was the fact that she told him not to lose hope. Hope. Something Alex would say breeds eternal misery. That was his sign that it was real.

It was cemented as real when an explosion sounded in the distance drawing his attention. It came from the island. Harry went to make a dash, ready to apparated when two hands held him back. He shrugged and fought them off to whip around to see Sirius, Amelia who were shortly followed by Hermione and Luna.

"Get him out of here. He wasn't supposed to see this. None of them were." She directed as Sirius agreed before reaching for Harry who backed out of his reach shaking his head in confusion.

"Supposed to see what?" Hermione questioned as she and Luna came up behind the two adults. Sirius and Amelia shared a looked as Amelia sighed.

"We received a tip on the location over a week ago." She admitted biting her lip. "A plan was made."

Harry shook his head vehemently when he say Sirius grim look. He knew what it meant. "You said you didn't believe me!" His voice rose. Sirius looked at him sadly.

"I am sorry pup. She diverted from the plan. You were never supposed to be brought into this, let alone here."

"The plan?!" Harry's voice rose as his anger did. Hermione and Luna looked as in the dark as he was. "Was all of this an act? Has she been faking it the entire time?" He demanded.

"I don't know." Sirius admitted. "It's like Amelia said, one week ago we got a tip. We didn't believe it, thought it was a trick. We had seen how merciless they were. But the next time we ran into them." He shook his head and paced. "The next time, we could just see the signs. They weren't noticeable unless you were looking for it or unless you had insider information. But after that, a plan developed. But you were meant to be kept out of it. That was on her for bringing you in."

"You made me think I was seeing things! You made me think she was heartless." Harry exclaimed stepping back further from them. When Amelia went to speak, another explosion cut her off. The argument faded as they all stood as a group, facing the island, watching on helplessly.

Meanwhile

After the first explosion went off, people were running around the compound trying to find the source and disable and fix whatever caused it. All but one person was actively helping.

"Alex, what the hell do you think you're doing? This is an attack. We're not supposed to be on their side!" Hunter growled keeping a tight grip on the her leather covered arm. Alex roughly yanked her arm out of his grasp.

"We're emotionless, not mindless." She countered angrily. "So why act like it? Hm? Like lost puppies? Aren't we supposed to be superior?" Alex reasoned. When Hunter didn't respond, she shook her head and turned away from him. "You do what you want to. But not playing the role of mindless assassin any longer." She moved forward and it was only when her hand was on the door handle turning it that Hunter called out.

"I don't know what you plan to do Alex. But we're supposed to stick together. And I'm not going to let you do something stupid." He called. He noticed Alex take a glance down at her watch before she turned her head to side and looked at him from the corner of her eye.

"And you can't stop me. Hunter, leave. Leave the compound. Being here would be a mistake. Go help them." She suggested in a tone that made it sound like anything but a suggestion.

"Why? Why would you want me to help them? L&W has everything, they can give us anything. Why would we turn that down for people that have no chance?" Hunter question confused.

"Because sometimes there are lines you shouldn't cross. And before you say anything, this has nothing to do with emotions. Or even moral rights and wrongs. Hunter I'm not afraid to cross any line. I've crossed nearly every one. But you're better, you have somebody that needs you more than ever right now. Take this chance and go make things right. Go. Now." She ordered before leaving the room without another word.

Hunter's brows furrowed and stuck his hands in his pockets. Frowning, he pulled his right hand out tightly clenching a crumbled up paper. Uncrumbling it, Hunter read the two words on the paper. He would recognize the handwriting anywhere, Alex's. But that wasn't what got his attention about it. It was the words themselves.

Help Luna

He reread the words so many times he would've never had to look at the paper again to forever remember what it. He didn't understand what it meant. Looking for any other clue, he flipped the small paper over. On the back were the words:

Get out and help your daughter dumbass

His eyes just finished scanning the last word when the paper in his hand became in focused. His vision blurred as his head pounded. It felt like something was going to explode in his head as he fell to his knees clutching his head. Gritting his teeth, he held back that shout of pain. The world seemed to waver and shifted before his eyes before it felt like something flipped and suddenly the pain stopped. Breathing deeply, he looked at the clenched paper in his hand. Snapping to attention, he shot up and out of the room, sprinting in the opposite way Alex went, even if he didn't know it.

Upon exiting the room Alex had chosen the opposite way on her path. Making her way through the twisting and turning maze of halls through the compound. Glancing at her watch, she watched the timer continue to count down. Five minutes. She had left Hunter five minutes ago. So that gave him ten to get out of the compound and off the island. Without any distractions or problems it was just enough for him, maybe with one to spare.

Hunter reached the portal room and immediately booted up the one for shore. The portal was open within seconds. He quickly set the closing time for ten seconds and stepped through where it opened on the shore. Coming out of the portal, Hunter spotted Sirius, Amelia, Hermione, Luna and Harry and ran over.

When they spotted him coming towards them quickly, all of their wands were out and pointed directly at him. Hunter stopped in his tracks and raised his hands above his head as a show of peace.

"It's me. Like really me. Emotions and all." He tried to assure them. Amelia's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"How can we know to believe that?" She demanded not faltering. Hunter slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out the slip of paper holding it out. The group shared a look before Sirius cautiously reached forward and took it. He read both sides and looked up brows furrowed.

"This is Alex's writing." He revealed in which had Harry reaching for it.

"I know. She slipped it into my pocket and told me to go." Hunter recounted and then looked around again. "Where is she?"

"What do you mean?" Hermione wondered curiously.

"She left the room before I did." Hunter explained. "I thought she was already here." Hunter admitted worriedly.

"If she's not with us and she wasn't with you…" Amelia trailed off as they all Came to the same conclusion at almost the exact same time.

Alex entered the center command room at the same time that Hunter was going through the portal off of the island. The time on the watch read two minutes. The only one in the room was Lily, who had her back to Alex, upon hearing the door open she turned.

"Alex. What do you need?" She questioned evenly in greeting before turning back to the desk.

"Did you really think it would work?" Alex questioned as she took slow steps forward.

"What?" Lily asked confused but didn't look up again.

"Your plan. All of it. Your pick. Did you really think it would work?" Alex clarified and repeated. Lily froze in her motions and slowly turned to look at Alex who was now only two feet away. Lily was immediately drawn to Alex's eyes as her own widened slightly.

"You flipped your own switch." Lily muttered in realization and shook her head in disbelief. "That's not possible. At the very least you need a reminder." She mumbled to herself but was still loud enough for Alex to hear.

"Oh but I had one." Alex reached into her own pocket and pulled out a folded up paper before tossing it onto the desk. Lily swallowed before picking it up and unfolding it. She skimmed the page before looking up at Alex.

"Where did you get this?" She demanded.

"It's always the same with anyone looking for power. You all think you're unbeatable and can't be touched." Alex chuckled. "That's where you made the same mistake that everyone else has. You underestimated me."

As Lily and Hunter were leaving the twin Oracles, a paper caught Alex's eye. She grabbed it and skimmed it before folding it up and taking it, leaving the room behind.

The night their switch was flipped, they were sitting in there own rooms, alone. A crinkle in the pillow case got Alex's attention. She reached in and found a folded up paper. Unfolding it, she read.

The Master Of Elements become mindless slaves of Death, killing without mercy nor remorse. A reminder can be it all it takes but never shall be allowed one.

It's the people that matter most to us that make us wish to remain whole. We can not be whole without every piece of ourselves, emotions and all.

It is these people that will free the masters from their cursed duties.

It is them, who will restore the masters to their rightful place as the most powerful immortals alive. Without emotions, what is there to truly fight for?

Upon finishing the last line, it got Alex thinking. What was it referring to? Who? Why would emotions make them more powerful?

"Because having something to fight for makes wars worth winning." Her own voice sounded distantly from somewhere. Looking around, she noticed the setting changed. She were now in a bedroom and to people were sitting on the bed, side by side. It was herself beside a younger Harry, fourteen at most. She smiled slightly as she remembered the memory.

"How do you do it? Win wars against monsters and titans and primordials?" Harry had asked Alex as they entered the room. She was leaving again.

"Because I have a reason to win." She smirked as if knowing something he didn't.

"What?" Harry questioned curiously head tilted.

"I have something to get back to." The smirk was still there as they sat down. "Because having something to fight for makes wars worth winning. Remember that."

"Why do I need to remember it?" Harry asked confused. Alex's smirk diminished slightly as it now held a slightly sad element to it.

"One day you might need to remember that. We are always stronger when we have something to fight for. It's something you should always remember. Just in case."

The memory swirled as it faded and Alex was back in her room. She was hit with a sharp pain in her head as her own words took affect.

"Now who seems full of themselves." Lily sneered. Alex smirked and shook her head.

"More like honest. You showed us how you know what happens. And not only that but somethings are even future events. That was a mistake. Did you really think I wouldn't take advantage of any mistakes you made? If so, you give me to much credit. I'm not that noble. Hell, noble doesn't even come close to any word someone would use to describe me. But none of that's really important right now." In perfect sync, as Alex finished the last word a blast could be heard from somewhere in the compound. And they only keep happening.

Lily was looking around frantically before she turned and hit a button. Two portals opened. One for the main shore and the other for the backup compound. "Now it seems like you have a choice!" Lily shouted over the loud blasts. "Who are you going to chose?! The sister that always stood by you! Or the family that gave up on you like a lost cause? Choose!" Lily yelled as the ground began to tremble and the portals shook. Alex looked at one of the portal, gazing at it. It would take her off the island, out of the compound and to the other. Silently, she apologized to everyone before looking at Lily.

"I started this by bringing you back! Because I wanted us to stand together! That's how this is going to end! Together." Alex shouted over the blasts occurring all over the compound. The walls and floor shook.

"Then lets go!" Lily gestured to the other portal, the one that would led to her backup compound back in Britain. Alex shook her head.

"I think you misunderstood! This ends with us together! This ends for good!" Alex shouted. Lily's eyes widened as she began to understand. The ground shook again almost throwing them off their feet.

"You can die on your own then!" Lily screamed before she turned towards the portal. Time was running low as Alex reached forward quickly and grasped Lily's hand pulling her back. She spun Lily roughly so they stood face to face. Alex held tightly onto Lily's arms as she struggled and fought to get away.

"I'm not letting you leave here. We both end here!" Alex shouted over the explosions as they rippled the compound and island itself. Fire filed the halls of the compound rushing all the more closer.

"I'll see you there then!" Lily barked as the fire entered on both hallways into the room as it overcame the room the portals closed in unimaginable waves of magic that washed over the island as the entire island burst into flames in an explosion so big it created a explosion of water that soared sky high.

Harry, Hermione, Sirius, Amelia, Hunter and Luna whipped around at the sound of the massive explosion.

"No." Harry muttered. He shook his head and looked around, there was no sign of her. It was only the explosion of water from where the island should've been got his attention and everyone else's. They all looked up only to see the water falling from the sky and back into the ocean which was now void of any island that many of been in a five mile radius. "No, she had to have gotten off in time." Harry protested. "She always does. Her powers-"

"Wouldn't have worked with the dampeners in the walls." Hunter interrupted grimly. Harry looked at him in disbelief and shook his head vehemently.

"In the end she saved us all." Amelia said quietly. Harry rounded on her.

"No. She always gets out of it. She can't be dead. She-she can't." Harry cried as he fell to his knees, tear tracks treaded down his cheeks. "She wasn't supposed to save us all. She was supposed to save herself." He whispered in despair. Sirius's hand came up to his mouth cupping it as he shook his head and walked a few paces away and looking down at his feet, eyes glassy.

"She saved me. And now she's gone." Hunters voice was empty.

"If she's immortal how would she die?" Hermione questioned confused from her place holding Harry, looking between the distraught and sad group.

"She's immortal unless killed in battle." Hunter answered blankly, lips pressed tightly together as he stared as where the island once was.

"And it was a war." Harry mumbled nearly inaudibly. His voice was broken, he was broken.

That was where they remained for sometime. Sirius standing away from the group with Amelia hugging and comforting him. Hunter standing staring blankly in the direction the island had been with an arm around Luna's shoulders holding her to him in a hug as she had her face buried in his chest. The finally, Harry and Hermione. Harry who was kneeling in the sand holding onto Hermione desperately and Hermione who was holding him knowing there was nothing else she could do but be there.

But one thing was the same for at least one person in each other the pairings, they had lost someone important to them. Someone they held some type of connection to. Each in their own way. They lost someone that everybody hopes to never lose but does at one time or another. They lost someone they loved.

Damn. This was something I honestly never wanted to do in the beginning. I never even considered the possibility of killing Alex off. Never entertained the idea until about half way through and I got an idea as to how I wanted to end it. I had the idea for this style led in ending before I even had any idea how I would get to it. Anyway, what did you think? Did it sustain the climax? Worth it? See you in the next and last chapter. -DS


	25. Back To Us

Enjoy this stories last adventure.

How It Should've Been

Chapter 24: Epilogue

Sirius and Alex stood side by side standing in front of the large top to bottom window. Both were wearing all black despite the somewhat sunny weather. Sirius in an all black suit and Alex in her normal attire just black. Sirius shifted putting his hands in his pockets while Alex stood arms crossed nether having spoken yet.

"Here we are. Back where it all began." Alex started simply not turning but staying looking out of the window. Sirius nodded watching the sky.

"We never should've left." He shook his head sighing. Everything that happened, maybe it could've been avoided if they stayed here, in New Zealand.

"I think it was always in the cards. It was just a matter of when it was dealt." Alex admitted thoughtfully.

Sirius took a deep breathe and closed his eyes before breathing out, "I'm sorry." Sirius mumbled barely audible.

"It's not your fault." Alex countered. Sirius looked down at his shoes frowning before shaking his head.

"I mean with Lily. You put a lot of effort into bringing her back only to have to- you know." Sirius looked back up and out the window. Alex closed her eyes for a second. She knew very well what he was talking about. It was then that Sirius's eyes widened as he whipped to face Alex. "You're alive?!" He exclaimed. Alex chuckled darkly.

"That's relative. This is a dream. Your dream. It was only way I could talk to you. I'm not dead. But I am on another plane of existence. And you have to find a way to get me back. Before it's too late." She urged.

"Too late? Too late for what?" Sirius demanded. Alex flicked in front of him. She cursed. "What's happening?" Sirius worried.

"We're running out of time. They're not done yet Sirius. You have to be ready!" She was fading by the second.

"Who? Who Alex?!"

"L&W." The answer came as a whisper as Alex faded completely.

"Alex! Alex!" Sirius shouted as he looked around frantically. Seconds later he was shooting up into a sitting position from bed in pitch blackness. His breathing was shuddering.

"What's wrong?" Came a soft whisper from his side.

"She's alive." He whispered in disbelief still breathing heavy.

Another Plane Somewhere

She first figured out something was wrong when she walked down a busy London sidewalk and ran into a man only to pass right through him as he continued like nothing happened. Testing a theory, she waved a hand in multiple peoples faces. It was like they couldn't see her. She ran through people, only to be met with the same results. It was like she was there but somehow not at the same time.

She made her way to the Potter Home in London. Walking the empty halls she searched. It didn't take her long to find Sirius and Amelia. They were in his office talking. Neither seemed to notice her presence. Again, though anticipating the results, she waved through them. As expected. Nothing.

"Damn." Alex muttered the curse. This wasn't something she had an idea how to fix. She had never seen anything like it. Not even for the dead.

She wondered through a park in central London and sat on a bench, watching people walk, and talk and laugh as they passed by unbeknownst to them they were being watched. It was only when someone set on the bench beside her and addressed that she turned her attention to them.

"Well well well. What do we have here?" Lily spoke with a devious smirk. Alex's jaw clenched. Of course, it had to be because of Lily, because they couldn't just die in piece.

"Where is this place?" Alex questioned calmly. She knew she wasn't going to get any answers if she was angry. There was no point to it.

"It's called a Lost One's plane. Those that are lost find themselves here." Lily answered taking her gaze from Alex to watch the people passing by much like Alex was.

"There are others here?" Alex wondered. Lily smiled probably the saddest smile Alex had seen her smile in over a decade.

"Few. A few are like you actually." Lily revealed. "But not all here are lost. Some are trapped. Some taken by force. For some, this is the land between life and death.

"How did we get here?" Alex asked taking it all in.

"I brought us here. Let's just say I had a backup plan in place. You triggered it. And here we are." Lily explained.

"How do we get back?"

"We can't. Not without help from the land of the living. See this plane, it's in between the realms of life and death. Many skip over it when moving from one to the other, but it can be stopped for a pit stop. But it's not indefinite. Many here have been fighting to stay here. Death comes for them all eventually. The question of the matter is if you can hold out long enough."

"So someone living has to pull us out. While someone dead tries to pull us in. We have to last enough to be pulled out before we get taken in. Great. And how does that work, when nobody knows this even exists. Nobody knows where we are." Alex looked to Lily exasperated, but Lily didn't falter nor return her gaze, only to remain staring at the passerby's.

"Guess that's the first problem we have to solve then."

"And the next?"

"How the hell we plan to survive here long enough."

"Seems like that should be the first problem. Don't you think?"

"No. There's no point in surviving if we can't make contact. Contact first. Surviving second."

"Don't we have to survive to make contact?"

"Guess we have to multi-task then."

"Love the optimism."

"Thanks."

"I was being sarcastic."

"I know."

"Love and war."

"More than just letters than huh?"

"More than just letters."

And there they sat for hours. Talking. Bickering. Bantering. For those hours, it was like the past fifteen years hadn't happened, like they hadn't just fought a war with one of them are either side. They weren't Lily, a leader of L&W, or Alex, an immortal Master of Elements. They were for the first time in a long time, family. Crisis does that, it brings those even the furthest apart, just that much closest. And sometimes, that's enough. Not always. But today it was. And that was all that mattered. They could worry about tomorrow, tomorrow.

 **And that's a wrap! That's all everyone. This story has reached its conclusion. And I will answer this question now in case any one asks it considering how I left the ending with another adventure just ready and waiting, I have thought and tossed around the idea of a sequel in my head. I've even considered the idea of a prequel. And I'm not saying never to either. I wrote the ending like this for a reason, in case I ever wanted to come back to this and continue this adventure in another story. As of right now, I'm not writing it, I simply do not have the time nor really the motivation to think up another big plot line like I did with this story. Don't get me wrong, I love this story, the characters I created, the universe I made and the plot that unfolded. And I loved writing it, but unfortunately writing fanfiction can not be my life. I don't know if there will be anything to expect out of me for a while, I don't have anything in the works, but I'll be around and maybe one day I'll have another idea or I'll come back to this and do a sequel.**

 **I also know this story isn't perfect. There were probably plot holes that I missed, questions left unanswered, and if I ever come back to this story I'll answer them. But right now, this is where it all ends. Thank you for all of the support I've had on this journey. I can never truly express just how much I appreciate it. So the least I can say is I hope you enjoyed being with on this adventure and thank you! -DS**


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